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Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC, has announced plans to suspend the operations of company-owned restaurants in Russia.
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As reported by Reuters, the company is suspending the operations of 70 restaurants in the country.
It is also finalising an agreement to suspend all Pizza Hut restaurant operations in Russia.
Yum! Brands said in a statement: “This action builds on our decision to suspend all investment and restaurant development in Russia and redirect all profits from operations in Russia to humanitarian efforts.
“As always, we remain focused on the safety of our people in the region and will continue to support our teams in Ukraine while evaluating the ways Yum! Brands can make a positive impact in the region.”
Yum! Brands operates 1,000 KFC restaurants and 50 Pizza Hut outlets in Russia.
The majority of these restaurants are operated by independent owners under licence or franchise agreements.
The company also announced a $1m donation from its Yum! Brands Foundation to the Red Cross as part of its humanitarian efforts to offer support to those affected by the crisis in Ukraine.
The company activated the Yum! Disaster Relief Fund to support Ukrainian franchise employees.
Donations from employees to charities that are involved in providing relief measures in Ukraine, including UNICEF, Red Cross, World Food Programme and International Rescue Committee, will also be matched by the company.
With the latest move, Yum! Brands has joined other restaurant companies, including McDonald’s, in temporarily closing restaurants or pausing operations in Russia.
