MRM News: Teremok – Nesting a Fast Casual Brand

Although Russia’s largest restaurant group, Teremok,  is often referred to as the “McDonald’s of Russia,” there are no burgers on the menu. The fast casual brand’s specialty is bliny, which are sweet-and-savory Russian crepes. These large pancakes bear similarities to French crepes and American griddle cakes, made with a batter of flour, eggs and milk that allows for a pillowy texture. 

After nearly 20 years of serving more than 30 million customers and building the brand to 300 locations, Teremok’s executives set their sights on international expansion. For its first restaurant locations outside of Russia, Teremok chose the ultimate cultural melting pot: Manhattan. The group opened two outposts in Chelsea and Union Square in 2016 and are planning additional expansion in the U.S.

Teremok places emphasis on quality, sourcing local products whenever possible and preparing all menu items in-house with the convenience of a quick-service model.

In this MRM News feature, we discuss the Teremok concept and the challenges of operating an international brand with CEO Mikhail Goncharov and COO Andrey Narkevich.