McDonald’s plans to increase investment in Russia and open new fast food restaurants this year with a focus on local suppliers, Khamzat Khasbulatov, McDonald’s president in Russia, told TASS.
The world-famous corporation is keen to replace completely imported chicken and cattle meat with Russian-grown foodstuff in two years. Besides, McDonald’s aims to source potatoes entirely from its own local supplier by 2017. According to Khasbulatov, the corporation intends to streamline its business in Russia with a view of competing with other dining rivals and expanding its market share.
The top executive noted that the Kremlin’s ban on many Western food imports affected the eating-out industry in Russia, in particular McDonald’s business. In 2015, the company had to raise prices in its restaurants due to a slump in the ruble, though to a lesser degree than an average inflation rate. Nevertheless, sales revenues of Russia’s division have risen, Khasbulatov stated without specifying the details. A year ago, he said he expected moderate growth in sales revenues in Russia during 2015 after a boost in 2014.
