Fix Price in Belarus: 14 franchised stores out of 396

At the end of the first half of 2026, Fix Price had 396 stores in Belarus, of which 14 were franchised. The remaining 382 outlets were directly managed by the retailer. Office Life reported these figures in an article published on 16 October about the presence of Russia’s largest retail companies in Belarus. For anyone assessing the Belarusian franchise market, this breakdown highlights an important feature of the chain: the brand’s overall footprint is considerably larger than its franchise operation.

Franchising accounts for around 3.5% of the chain

Franchised stores make up approximately 3.5% of Fix Price’s Belarusian network. This calculation is based on the published figures: 14 franchise outlets out of 396 operating stores. The company therefore directly manages around 96.5% of its stores in the country.

Fix Price’s presence in Belarus cannot, then, be described primarily as the result of franchise expansion. At the reporting date, company-operated stores formed the backbone of the chain, although franchising was also in use. For an entrepreneur considering a retail franchise, this is a crucial distinction: the total number of stores carrying a brand’s name is not the same as the number run by independent franchisees.

The reporting date also matters. These figures describe the network at the end of the first half of 2026, rather than the number of stores operating on the date of the October article. They provide a snapshot of the brand’s presence at a particular point in time. On their own, they do not show how many outlets subsequently opened or closed, or how the balance between the two operating models changed.

Scale in Russia does not equal a presence in Belarus

Office Life examined Belarusian retail through a ranking of Russia’s 50 largest retailers, published by Vedomosti and based on revenue for 2025. This approach allows a comparison between companies’ standing in the Russian market and their actual presence in neighbouring Belarus.

X5 Group, Magnit, Mercury Retail and Lenta occupied the top four places. According to Office Life, none of these companies had a presence in Belarus at the time of publication. Meanwhile, fifth-placed electronics and household appliance retailer DNS operated 20 stores in the country, including five in Minsk and two in Bobruisk.

These figures provide context for assessing Fix Price, but they are not franchise statistics. Another retailer’s store count cannot automatically be treated as a count of franchised outlets unless the operating model is specified. It is useful to separate two questions: how extensive a brand’s presence in Belarus is, and what role franchisees play in that presence.

Fix Price illustrates this distinction particularly clearly: hundreds of operating stores sit alongside a relatively small number of franchised outlets. Even a prominent retail chain therefore requires a separate assessment of its franchise operation.

What these figures tell prospective franchisees

The existence of 14 franchised stores confirms that Fix Price uses a franchise model in Belarus. However, the number of operating outlets does not, in itself, confirm that the company is recruiting new franchisees, that a particular town or city is available, or that specific entry terms apply. Entrepreneurs should discuss these questions separately with the brand’s representatives.

Nor do the statistics allow an assessment of an individual store’s profitability. The proportion of franchised stores reveals nothing about the initial investment, running costs, supply terms or investment payback period. The figure of 396 stores would therefore be insufficient as a standalone argument for buying a franchise.

For an initial assessment of the opportunity, it is worth requesting information specifically about franchised outlets: which tasks the franchisee performs, what the management company is responsible for, and how costs are allocated. Particular attention should be paid to how comparable a proposed outlet is with existing stores in terms of location, floor area and lease terms. These are questions for testing the business model, not conclusions about the performance of individual Fix Price franchisees.

The opposite conclusion should also be avoided: a small proportion of franchised stores does not prove that the franchise model is weak. It shows the structure of the chain, but does not explain why that balance exists or indicate franchisees’ financial performance.

How to use the data when choosing a franchise

For those assessing franchises in Belarus, the published figures offer a practical benchmark: descriptions of a retail chain should distinguish between its total store count, company-operated outlets and franchised outlets. This breakdown makes it easier to understand which operating model underpins the brand’s presence.

It is also important to retain the reporting date when comparing opportunities. Figures from different periods can create a misleading impression of a chain’s scale or growth. In Fix Price’s case, the accurate description is 396 stores in Belarus at the end of the first half of 2026, including 14 franchised outlets.

Practical takeaway: when considering a franchise from a well-known retailer, look beyond how widespread its branding is. Check the current franchise terms and request financial projections for the specific store: the scale of the chain provides context, but is no substitute for examining your future costs and obligations.