McDonald’s restaurant chain will stop working in Kazakhstan

The network of fast food restaurants managed by Food Solutions KZ LLP ceases to operate under the McDonald’s brand in Kazakhstan, the company’s press service reports.

“The chain of fast food restaurants managed by Food Solutions KZ LLP stops operating under the McDonald’s brand in Kazakhstan due to supply restrictions,” the report says (quote according to TASS).

The press service noted that the resumption of activities and the timing of the opening of new fast food restaurants under a new name will be announced in the near future.

Vedomosti sent a request to the fast food chain Vkusno-i Tochka, whose restaurants opened in Russia on the site of a former McDonald’s.

Bloomberg wrote the day before that McDonald’s could leave Kazakhstan due to a disruption in supply chains and the inability to buy meat in Russia. 24 fast food restaurants owned by Food Solutions KZ LLP suspended operations in November due to supply issues.

According to Bloomberg sources, the franchisee was unable to purchase meat from local or European suppliers, as high prices and transportation costs would have led the business to operate at a loss.

Against the backdrop of the start of a special operation in Ukraine, on March 14, McDonald’s closed its restaurants in Russia, and on May 16 announced its final withdrawal from the country. As a result, the Russian business of McDonald’s was sold to local licensee Alexander Govor. The company reserved the opportunity to buy back the business within 15 years, Govor said in an interview with Vedomosti. On June 12, the first 15 restaurants of the former McDonald’s reopened in Russia under the Vkusno-i Tochka brand. And on November 21, the restaurant chain launched delivery in several cities of the Russian Federation.