The addition of the Mighty Angus and Grand Angus burgers to the menu of McDonald's network of almost 800 stores across Australia - and the burst of advertising and promotion that will accompany their launch starting this Sunday - is expected to boost both the Angus breed and wider Australian beef and rural industries.

McDonald's already uses about 25,000 tonnes of local beef each year in its Australian stores while another 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes is exported and consumed in McDonald's restaurants overseas.

Bronwyn Stubbs, corporate communications manager for McDonald's Australia, said Angus beef had come up trumps in its extensive research with local customers to identify what they perceived as a good quality, great tasting beef.

The beef used in the new burgers will be verified as Angus by Certified Australian Angus Beef Pty Ltd (CAAB) based on national vendor declaration forms and backed by independent audits and DNA sampling.

"Having CAAB-verified Angus Beef added to the McDonald's menu will mean the quality and characteristics of the beef are promoted to millions of Australians, resulting in a boost for breeders and the industry as a whole," Phil Morley, CEO of CAAB, said.

To qualify for the program, the beef must come from an animal sired by an Angus bull and be out of either a straight-bred Angus cow or an Angus cross cow.

Lisa Isaacs, national purchasing manager for McDonald's Australia, said the company had worked with CAAB for almost two years to ensure the meat in the Grand Angus and Mighty Angus was quality-assured Australian Angus beef that had been independently verified and guaranteed.

"McDonald's uses Australian quality beef in all its burgers and the new Angus burgers are another example of our commitment to offering customers a variety of menu items - and this time we are offering something a little bit fancy," she said.

New hot plates have had to be installed at McDonald's stores to handle the bigger Angus burgers, the company's first new beef product for some years.

Both the Mighty Angus and Grand Angus are served on a soft sourdough bun. The Mighty Angus also includes two cheese slices, a rasher of bacon, red onion rings, onion relish and mayonnaise (at a recommended retail price of $6.75).

The Grand Angus also includes two cheese slices, tomato, gourmet salad mix, pickles, red onion rings, mustard and mayonnaise (RRP $6.45).