(Reuters) – McDonald’s restaurants in Belarus are set to be rebranded under a deal made public on Friday, five months after the U.S. fast food giant left neighbouring Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Under the deal, McDonald’s 25 restaurants in Belarus, all of which are operated by a local licensee, will be rebranded as Vkusno & tochka, which translates as “Tasty and that’s it”.
McDonald’s sold its Russian restaurants to what was later named “Vkusno & tochka” in May, making a decision to sever ties with Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
It was not immediately clear whether McDonald’s had also severed ties with Belarus and the company was not immediately available to comment.
Vkusno & tochka said the decision to operate in Belarus as well as in Russia would allow the retention of more than 2,000 jobs in Belarus, “while continuing to meet all previous commitments to employees”.
McDonald’s restaurants in Belarus will be rebranded within a “few weeks”, the company added, and would operate under the McDonald’s brand for a transition period.
(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Barbara Lewis)
