Katya Tylevich
Business

Fast Food Chain As Exemplar

Who said all empires in Russia are built on blood, lies, and connections? Some are built on homemade potato recipes — hold the vodka jokes. A new video from state press agency RIA Novosti follows Andrei Kononchuk and Vitaly Naumenko, co-owners of the baked-potato chain Kroshka Kartoshka [Крошка Картошка]. Now moneybags, the two tell of their humble but honest beginnings in the baked-potato biz, which they began in 1998, when the Russian economy was in the proverbial crapper. At first, all their revenue was eaten up by hyperinflation and their only other employees were their wives. But within a year their fortunes turned, and now Kroshka is an iconic and delicious symbol of post-default Russia, often imitated but never replicated by copycat brands. Wait, this video is just a carb-veiled parable intended to inspire more Russian entrepreneurship! Is nothing sacred?

The video report zooms in on another fast-food personage, Mikhail Goncharov, whom Time Magazine dubbed “The Czar of Crepes” last year. Goncharov also got his start in ’98 with Teremok [Теремок], a bliny hut serving thin pancakes stuffed with everything from ham and cheese to old Russian favorites like caviar. Goncharov did everything by the book in those days, writing up a business plan and submitting it to City Hall. Plus, the company’s head chef is Goncharov’s mother. How wholesome is that? The report ends with a close-up of the owners getting into their luxury cars. Though it was simpler then, we're told, it’s still possible to open a business now. True, it's definitely possible now. Just be careful not to put a sign on your storefront; you don't want mafia types, or worse yet, government types coming by to extort all your capital.

Fast Food in Russia: How it All Began [RIA Novosti]

Photo courtesy of Thepensblog.blogspot.com


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Justin T
February 25, 6:46 AM
This Kartoshka thing is fucking delicious. Everyone, please do try it when in Moscow. It's like $1 and it's SO GOOD.
Susan X
April 21, 9:59 PM
I certainly agree that we should be aware on the foods that we eat.It should always be our main concern because health is wealth.We have all been aware for years of the health risks posed by fast food chains. So exactly what are our health insurance industries doing to battle these health risks? They have begun investing in them! That’s right Health insurance companies are now investing millions within the fast food industry. I imagine their logic is that with the health insurance reform you will be spending your cash to pay for health insurance, and then spending more cash whenever you use their services due to troubles from eating too much fast food.
Vera O
July 24, 12:29 AM
I am a certified lawyer.
Vera O
July 24, 12:32 AM
I can't believe the issue about chicken nuggets in Walmart.They should be liable for this because as far as I know it is their main concern for the customers.The most recent recall is Walmart's chicken nuggets. The Good Value brand product may have little pieces of blue plastic in it. The plant suspects that a blue plastic ring fell into the meat, and then after all the grinding and mixing broke into smaller pieces contaminating much of the product. Don't go getting a cash advance to sue the company, the recall has already been cleared as being non-threatening; but you still should bring any chicken nuggets you've back to the store for a refund.

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