Dunkin’ Donuts Heads Back to Russia
After a retreat from Russia in 1999, Dunkin’ Donuts is returning Wednesday with the first of 20 planned store openings in Moscow this year.
The move by the Dunkin’ Brands Inc. unit will intensify a battle among coffee-shop chains in Russia, a tea-steeped culture that is fast getting hooked on coffee. Restaurant sales of coffee in Russia surged to an estimated $575 million in 2009 from $13 million in 1999, according to Euromonitor International. During the five years ended in 2008, total revenue in the category increased 362%.
Dunkin’ is hoping to match the success of rival Starbucks Corp. of Seattle. Less than three years after opening its first store in Russia, Starbucks boasts 31 locations whose sales make it the third-largest coffee-shop chain in the country, behind an operation called Coffee House and the market leader, Shokoladnitsa, Euromonitor International says. In fourth place is McDonald’s Corp.’s McCafé unit, according to Euromonitor.
The planned store openings come 11 years after Dunkin’ Donuts pulled out of Russia, following three years of losses exacerbated by a rogue franchisee who sold liquor and meat pies alongside coffee and crullers.
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