Domino's Pizza to shut down 142 Russian restaurants

The company that oversees the Dominoes Pizza brand in Russia has signalled plans to close its restaurants and pull out of the country.

DP Eurasia, the master franchisee in the region, announced its intention for its DP Russia arm to file for bankruptcy amid an "increasingly challenging environment".

In December 2022, the company said it was reevaluating its presence in Russia and the impact of sanctions on its trading.

DP Eurasia is the third largest pizza delivery company in Russia and operates 142 stores across the country. It also has master franchise rights to the brand in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

The company said the move would end an attempted sale of the Russian business as a going concern and "inevitably" its presence in the region.

Hospitality and food companies have come under pressure to withdraw their operations from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Compass Group, Jamie Oliver Group, Starbucks, KFC operator Yum! Brands and McDonald's have all ceased trading in the country.

In some cases, the Kremlin has seized control of the Russian subsidiaries of food and drink firms, including French yoghurt maker Danone and Danish brewer Carlsberg.

US-based Domino's Pizza Inc, the master franchisor for the brand, told the BBC that it had stopped providing support for the Russian market in early 2022.