- Domino's is still selling pizza in Russia but its master franchisee says it has limited investment.
- On Wednesday, DP Eurasia said it was considering options including selling off its Russian business.
The company that operates Domino's Pizza in Russia is considering selling its Russian business, months after other fast-food giants like McDonald's and Starbucks withdrew from the country.
But for the time being, it continues to sell pizza in Russia, with its range of unusual flavors — including pineapple and caramel sauce, pear and blue cheese, and cordon bleu.
DP Eurasia owns the Domino's stores in Russia, as well as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
"DP Eurasia is evaluating its presence in Russia, the impact of sanctions and its continuing ability to serve its customers in Russia," the company said in an announcement on Wednesday.
It added: "Consequently, the company is considering various options which may include a divestment of its Russian operations. Whilst work on a potential transaction is ongoing, there can be no certainty as to the outcome."
It added that a further update would be made "as and when appropriate."
In September, DP Eurasia said its investment into its Russian operations "remains limited with attention focused on optimizing the existing store network."
Wednesday's announcement comes many months after other fast-food chains said they were selling off their Russian businesses, following the country's invasion of Ukraine in February.
McDonald's was the first major chain to temporarily shut down its restaurants in Russia. Two months later, the burger giant said it would quit the Russian market because continued ownership of more than 800 restaurants was "no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald's values."
Starbucks, KFC, and Pizza Hut have all followed suit, with some of their restaurants being taken over by companies launching new copycat brands like Stars Coffee.
At the end of October, DP Eurasia had 171 Domino's stores in Russia, 103 of which were run by franchisees. This is down from 188 total stores in March. It said it is still the third-largest pizza-delivery company in Russia by store count.
The company said on March 11 that it had been "shocked and saddened by the conflict and the effect it has had on all of the innocent civilians across the region." It said that it was also suspending royalty payments from its Russian operations.
DP Eurasia subsidiary Domino's Russia has a master franchise agreement with Domino's Pizza International to operate stores until 2030. It reported 893 million Turkish lira, or $47.7 million, in group system sales in Russia over the 10 months to October 31.