McDonald’s Australia is trialling 10 handcrafted beverages from February 25 across more than 500 restaurants in Victoria and Queensland. The move marks the next step in the company’s beverage portfolio strategy and highlights Australia’s role in shaping McDonald’s global beverage direction.

Australia is the second market to test the platform. McCafé was established in Melbourne in 1993 and now operates more than 1000 locations in Australia and about 4000 globally.

Annabel Fribence, CMO at McDonald’s Australia, said Australian customers have played a role in the development of McCafé.

“That legacy is why Australia is once again at the forefront of defining what comes next for McCafé.”

She said beverages are a growth pillar for McDonald’s. The new platform expands McCafé beyond coffee and creates additional consumption occasions and growth opportunities. Feedback from the trial will inform the next stage of rollout in Australia and other markets.

The trial reflects demand for soda and other non-coffee beverages and indicates increased focus on beverage innovation. The expanded range supports the in-restaurant experience and strengthens McDonald’s position in the QSR beverage category.

Charlie Newberger, global category head for beverage and dessert at McDonald’s, said Australia plays a role in validating the modernised beverage range, with flavours adapted to local preferences.

 “We are taking a holistic, systemwide approach to ensure the category is designed for longevity and innovation at scale. We’re not chasing trends; we’re building a category that lasts.”

The new products include iced coffee, fruit beverages, crafted sodas and energy drinks. The range is designed to extend consumption beyond coffee occasions. It includes Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso with oat milk, which is launching globally for the first time in Australia. McDonald’s said it has worked with suppliers and partners to develop a platform that can scale across ingredients, packaging and equipment to support operational efficiency and quality consistency.

The company said the initiative reflects a shift in portfolio architecture, positioning beverages as a standalone consumption occasion rather than a complement to meals. The products introduce additional formats within the beverage category while maintaining operational simplicity and service speed.