McDonald’s, the fast food giant, announced Monday that it will sell its business in Russia after more than thirty years operating in that country.
Last March McDonald’s had temporarily closed all its Russian facilities amid the invasion of Ukraine. The company said it was “no longer sustainable or consistent with McDonald’s values” to continue ownership in the country due to the “humanitarian crisis” caused by the ongoing war, according to the press release.
“We are exceptionally proud of the 62,000 employees who work in our restaurants, along with the hundreds of Russian suppliers who support our business and our local franchisees,” Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
McDonald’s is seeking to sell its Russian restaurants to a local buyer and plans to continue paying all employees in the country until final closure, according to the statement.
The company will then begin the process of “decommissioning” the restaurants, including ceasing use of the McDonald’s name, logo, brand or menu, according to the statement.
McDonald’s restaurants in Ukraine also remain closed, but the company continues to pay its employees full wages and support local relief efforts organized by Ronald McDonald House Charities, according to the statement.
