Quick-Serve Inspections, Closures Continue In Russia

The low-temp cold war between the U.S. and Russia continues to play out in the world of quick-serve foodservice.

Last month, the Moscow Arbitration Court levied a 100,000 ruble fine ($2,583) on Burger Rus LLC, operator and manager of Burger King restaurants in Russia, for the storage of unauthorized items in refrigerators alongside food. The ruling, reported by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, states that during a July 11 inspection of a Burger King unit, Russia’s public-health agency Rospotrebnadzor found “violations of technical regulations of the Customs Union on the safety of food products.” The public-health agency said that the violations posed a health hazard to customers.

Among the evidence cited were brushes from a milkshake machine and a slicer used to cut onions and tomatoes being stored beside food products. Inspectors also claimed to have found flies in the production and storage facilities. Burger King, which has about 200 restaurants in Russia, has been operating under franchise there since 2010.

Burger King is not the only U.S. company paying attention to the recent passage of a law allowing the Russian government to seize the assets of foreign corporations; with that law looming, the outlook for future chain expansion seems likely to be dim.