Apteka Pharma to revise its franchise model for 2027

Apteka Pharma, a pharmacy chain based in the Russian city of Ryazan, intends to change its franchise model. The company plans to set out its new approach to working with partners by the end of October, defining what the franchise should look like from 1 January 2027. The chain’s chief executive, Alexander Mironov, outlined the plans in an interview with the publication Moskovskie Apteki, published on 26 October 2026.

What Apteka Pharma is changing

According to Mironov, the chain has decided to close its franchise programme in its current form and restructure its relationships with partners. The stated aim is a clearer division of responsibilities and less company involvement in the day-to-day management of partner chains.

This is an important qualification to the wording about closing the programme. The interview concerns not simply ending the current model, but preparing a new offer for partners. The decision should therefore not automatically be interpreted as a complete withdrawal from franchising or an announcement of pharmacy closures.

For now, however, the new model remains a plan. Mironov gave a deadline for developing the concept and outlined its main principles, but did not present a final set of terms. For existing and prospective partners, this means it is too early to assess the future model solely on the basis of the restructuring announcement: its details have yet to be defined.

The distinction between the two dates also matters. The company intends to set out its new vision by the end of October, while 1 January 2027 is the target date for the revised franchise model. These dates refer to different stages of the review, rather than two separate launches.

A programme launched in 2023

Apteka Pharma began developing its franchise programme in 2023. At the time the interview was published, 140 pharmacies were operating within the company’s wider network. The review therefore concerns a programme with existing participants, rather than simply an offer for prospective franchisees.

The figure of 140 pharmacies needs to be read carefully. In the publication, it describes the wider network. Without further clarification, it should not be presented as the number of franchise agreements, independent business owners or pharmacies opened specifically under a franchise arrangement. A single figure does not reveal the structure of the relationships between the company and everyone operating within that network.

For Russia’s franchising community, the story is primarily of interest as a review of an established partnership model. Having launched the programme in 2023, the company now intends to redefine its level of involvement in partners’ operations. The announcement focuses not on geographical expansion or the number of new openings, but on how cooperation within the existing programme is organised.

Where responsibilities will lie

Mironov’s statement identifies two related but distinct changes. The first is a clearer division of responsibilities between the parties. The second is a reduction in Apteka Pharma’s involvement in the day-to-day management of partner chains. Together, these indicate the direction of the review, but they do not yet establish which functions will remain with the company and which will pass to partners.

Less involvement in daily management does not in itself mean an end to all support. Equally, a clearer allocation of duties says nothing yet about the financial terms of the partnership. The announced plans provide no basis for assuming confirmed changes to fees, entry costs or specific pharmacy support obligations.

When discussing the news, it is therefore important to distinguish the chief executive’s statement from its possible consequences. What has been confirmed is the intention to move towards a different management model. Judging whether it will be more profitable, more demanding or give partners greater autonomy will require scrutiny of the future terms, not just the broad statement of intent.

What partners should clarify

For existing participants, the practical question is how the stated principles will be reflected in documents and working procedures. Once the new offer is available, partners should compare the current and proposed allocation of tasks: which decisions the partner makes, what the company is responsible for and how much support is included.

The transition between models deserves particular attention. The January 2027 target does not, on its own, explain how existing arrangements will change. Partners would benefit from clarifying how new terms will be agreed, when they will apply and what each party will need to do. These are questions to check against the forthcoming offer, not requirements the company has already announced.

Prospective franchisees should also distinguish between the previous version of the programme and the one the chain intends to offer following its review. Descriptions of the earlier model should not automatically be applied to the future one: the franchisor’s level of involvement in daily operations is explicitly one of the areas under review.

The practical takeaway is to assess the revised franchise against its specific allocation of responsibilities and transition terms. Apteka Pharma has now indicated the direction of change; the next significant step for partners is to obtain and examine the new offer.