French fries disappear from McDonald's heiress's menu

French fries have disappeared from the menu of several Russian fast food restaurants Vkusno and Tochka (Tasty and period), the chain that acquired the McDonald's business in Russia after the American franchise announced its withdrawal from the Russian market due to the military campaign in Ukraine.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
09 July 2022 Saturday 17:55
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French fries disappear from McDonald's heiress's menu

French fries have disappeared from the menu of several Russian fast food restaurants Vkusno and Tochka (Tasty and period), the chain that acquired the McDonald's business in Russia after the American franchise announced its withdrawal from the Russian market due to the military campaign in Ukraine.

"This is because in 2021 in Russia there was a very low harvest of potato varieties that are used for the production of potato chips in the network," explained the press service of the Russian company in an interview with the Russian newspaper RBC. .

According to Vkusno and Tochka, during the last 8 years the McDonald's company, which bequeathed its premises, equipment and even practically all its employees to its Russian counterpart, "oriented itself to Russian suppliers and bought their products from them."

"Furthermore, it became impossible to import from markets that could be temporary importers for Russian companies," the company added, referring to the sanctions imposed by the West on Russia for the military campaign in Ukraine.

However, the company asserted that it is a temporary shortage and that by the fall of this year, with the end of the harvest, French fries will fully return to the menus of its restaurants.

The official opening of Vkusno and Tochka took place on June 12, on the occasion of Russia Day, just three months after McDonald's announced its withdrawal and three decades after the opening of the franchise's first restaurant in the center of Moscow. .

The network, acquired at a "symbolic price" by the Siberian businessman Alexandr Govor, who already operated 25 establishments, has practically kept the same menu as McDonald's, which only changed its names after excluding several offers.

Govor announced during the opening of the chain, that it will not only open all the establishments of the old McDonald's, but will expand the business.