American fast food McDonald's is also leaving Belarus.
The Russian company “Vkusno – and dotka” announced that, as in Russia, it will take its place by signing a franchising agreement with “KSB Victory Restaurants”, which managed the Belarusian “McDonalds”, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We will retain all jobs, continue to offer welcoming service, varied menus, favorite tastes of dishes and high quality products at affordable prices that our guests are accustomed to,” the company said in a statement.
In Belarus there were 25 McDonald's in 6 cities, they served more than 10 million guests annually.
The decision to maintain the chain under a single brand may indicate McDonald's desire to return to the country in the future, says Sergei Mironov, the ombudsman for the Moscow restaurant market, owner of the Meat & Fish chain.
“I am sure that there is an agreement with McDonald’s on its return to the Russian and Belarusian markets. McDonald's is going the route of transferring the business to one company, "Delicious - period," because it expects to come back. In the Russian market, McDonald's niche was occupied by the Vkusno – period, and if the same is not done in Belarus, another player may appear that could potentially develop into a large chain.
It would be extremely problematic to regain lost positions in the future; we would have to compete again, and this is a very difficult, long-term job. It’s much easier to leave, leaving the possibility of a return,” Mironov noted.
In July, McDonald's suspended operations in Kazakhstan "due to technical reasons."