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Restaurateur And Rapper Take On Former Domino's Pizza Outlets In Russia

A woman enjoys a slice in a rebranded Domino's Pizza outlet in Moscow that was reopened on August 30 as "Domиno Pizza," with the Latin "i" in the name replaced with the equivalent Cyrillic letter "и."
1/11 A woman enjoys a slice in a rebranded Domino's Pizza outlet in Moscow that was reopened on August 30 as "Domиno Pizza," with the Latin "i" in the name replaced with the equivalent Cyrillic letter "и."
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
A worker boxes pies in a rebranded Domino&#39;s Pizza outlet in Moscow on August 30.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> In late August, Domino&#39;s became the latest major Western brand to exit the Russian market after failing to sell the business. Domino&#39;s was the third-largest pizza-delivery chain in the country, with 142 stores.<br /> <br /> &nbsp;
2/11 A worker boxes pies in a rebranded Domino's Pizza outlet in Moscow on August 30. 

In late August, Domino's became the latest major Western brand to exit the Russian market after failing to sell the business. Domino's was the third-largest pizza-delivery chain in the country, with 142 stores.

 
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
Russian restauranteur Anton Pinsky (left) and pro-Kremlin rapper Timati took over the assets of Domino&#39;s Pizza following the brand&#39;s exit from the country.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> It is not the first Russian outlet of a multinational company to be &quot;rebranded&quot; by the pair.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> &nbsp;
3/11 Russian restauranteur Anton Pinsky (left) and pro-Kremlin rapper Timati took over the assets of Domino's Pizza following the brand's exit from the country. 

It is not the first Russian outlet of a multinational company to be "rebranded" by the pair. 



 
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
This is a branch of Stars Coffee on Moscow&rsquo;s central Arbat Street. The Starbucks-like cafe chain opened on August 18, 2022.&nbsp;
4/11 This is a branch of Stars Coffee on Moscow’s central Arbat Street. The Starbucks-like cafe chain opened on August 18, 2022. 
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
The Stars Coffee store on Arbat Street opened inside a former Starbucks outlet. In May 2022, Starbucks joined scores of other major Western brands in pulling out of Russia amid the country&#39;s invasion of Ukraine.<br /> &nbsp;
5/11 The Stars Coffee store on Arbat Street opened inside a former Starbucks outlet. In May 2022, Starbucks joined scores of other major Western brands in pulling out of Russia amid the country's invasion of Ukraine.
 
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
Stars Coffee was launched by Pinsky and Timati, who wrote in a 2015 track that &ldquo;President Putin is my best friend.&rdquo; The pair announced that scores of empty former Starbucks cafes would be reopened under their Stars Coffee brand. Starbucks had 130 branches in Russia and nearly 2,000 employees.&nbsp;<br /> &nbsp;
6/11 Stars Coffee was launched by Pinsky and Timati, who wrote in a 2015 track that “President Putin is my best friend.” The pair announced that scores of empty former Starbucks cafes would be reopened under their Stars Coffee brand. Starbucks had 130 branches in Russia and nearly 2,000 employees. 
 
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
Pinsky claimed to journalists at the Stars Coffee opening in Moscow that &quot;people&#39;s perceptions may be different, but if you compare, then you won&#39;t find anything in common [with the Starbucks logo] apart from the circle.&quot;
7/11 Pinsky claimed to journalists at the Stars Coffee opening in Moscow that "people's perceptions may be different, but if you compare, then you won't find anything in common [with the Starbucks logo] apart from the circle."
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
A branch of Tasty And That&rsquo;s It in a former McDonald&rsquo;s restaurant in Kazan in August 2022.<br /> <br /> In May 2022, McDonald&rsquo;s announced that it would pull out of Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. The following month, hundreds of former McDonald&rsquo;s restaurants restarted their grills under Russian ownership as &ldquo;Vkusno i Tochka&rdquo; (Tasty and That&rsquo;s It).<br /> &nbsp;
8/11 A branch of Tasty And That’s It in a former McDonald’s restaurant in Kazan in August 2022.

In May 2022, McDonald’s announced that it would pull out of Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. The following month, hundreds of former McDonald’s restaurants restarted their grills under Russian ownership as “Vkusno i Tochka” (Tasty and That’s It).
 
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
Tasty And That&rsquo;s It staff construct burgers inside a former McDonald&rsquo;s in Moscow in June 2022.<br /> <br /> The renamed fast-food chain got off to a shaky start, with one report of moldy bread being used in a burger in June, but the restaurants <a href="https://youtu.be/9yqQQBSrYkU?t=175"><strong>appear to be popular</strong>.</a>
9/11 Tasty And That’s It staff construct burgers inside a former McDonald’s in Moscow in June 2022.

The renamed fast-food chain got off to a shaky start, with one report of moldy bread being used in a burger in June, but the restaurants appear to be popular.
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
The cafe section of a Tasty And That&rsquo;s It outlet in Kazan<br /> <br /> A recent video reviewer concluded that the burgers tasted identical to McDonald&rsquo;s, and noted that sauce packets were <strong><a href="https://youtu.be/9yqQQBSrYkU?t=481">McDonald&rsquo;s condiments with the logo obscured</a> </strong>with pen ink.
10/11 The cafe section of a Tasty And That’s It outlet in Kazan

A recent video reviewer concluded that the burgers tasted identical to McDonald’s, and noted that sauce packets were McDonald’s condiments with the logo obscured with pen ink.
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
Coca-Cola stopped production and sales in Russia in August 2022, leading to a flurry of similar drinks being produced domestically to fill the gap in the local market. This photo shows Russian-made Cool Cola, Street, and Fancy drinks on sale at a grocery store in Moscow.<br /> &nbsp;
11/11 Coca-Cola stopped production and sales in Russia in August 2022, leading to a flurry of similar drinks being produced domestically to fill the gap in the local market. This photo shows Russian-made Cool Cola, Street, and Fancy drinks on sale at a grocery store in Moscow.
 
As Western companies exit the Russian market, some very familiar-looking brands are replacing them.
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A Russian restaurateur and a pro-Kremlin rapper who together bought the Starbucks business in Russia last year are now taking over the Russian assets of Domino's Pizza. Anton Pinsky and Timati said they would run the restaurants under the barely changed brand Domino Pizza, with the "i" in Domino replaced by the equivalent Russian letter и. They said they would retain the franchise's partners, 120 restaurants, and more than 2,000 employees in Russia. Pinsky told reporters the pair had already invested hundreds of millions of rubles in the business. To read the original story by Reuters, click here.

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