Pyaterochka franchise expands into Khabarovsk and Tuva

Pyaterochka has opened its first franchised stores in Khabarovsk and the Republic of Tuva, with the latter opening in the regional capital, Kyzyl. Retail.ru reported the openings on 16 October 2026. For Russia’s franchising sector, they illustrate the expansion of the partner network in the east of the country, involving entrepreneurs who have entered grocery retail from different professional backgrounds.

Two openings with different product ranges

The new Khabarovsk store has a total floor area of 500 sq m and stocks more than 4,000 product lines. The franchisee is Ivan Ponkratov, an experienced entrepreneur whose current business interests are primarily in commercial property.

The Kyzyl store has a total floor area of 485 sq m. It stocks around 3,000 product lines, including bread from local producers. Its franchisee, Aldyn-Kherel Natpit-ool, previously spent many years in employment. He found the premises for his first store himself, choosing a residential neighbourhood undergoing substantial development.

The two new stores are therefore similar in total floor area but differ in the size of their product ranges. Accuracy matters when comparing them: the published figures refer to the stores’ total floor areas, not specifically to their sales areas. It would be premature to draw conclusions about display density or how efficiently space is used.

The inclusion of locally produced bread is a specific feature of the Kyzyl store’s range. However, this example alone does not mean that the same arrangements for working with local producers apply across all franchised stores in the network. Prospective franchisees should discuss these opportunities in relation to their own town or city and proposed store.

Partners with different backgrounds

The Khabarovsk and Kyzyl openings are noteworthy for more than their geography. In one case, the network was joined by an entrepreneur with business experience primarily in commercial property. In the other, the partner had spent many years working as an employee before opening the store.

These two stories illustrate the different career paths taken by members of the franchise network. They do not, however, establish Pyaterochka’s general requirements for applicants or show that previous experience has no bearing on preparations for opening. Each case concerns a particular entrepreneur and a particular store.

One distinctive detail of the Kyzyl opening is that the franchisee found the premises independently. This is relevant to prospective partners hoping to draw on their own local knowledge when choosing a location. However, it should not be taken as a mandatory approach for all franchisees: the division of responsibilities needs to be clarified before the project begins.

Entrepreneurs considering a similar route should decide in advance how much of the preparation they are willing to undertake themselves. Finding premises, assessing their suitability for the store format and agreeing the next steps are matters to discuss with the franchisor in relation to the specific property, rather than just the brand as a whole.

Eastern Russia offers scope for further expansion

Valeria Ostasheva, Pyaterochka’s Director of Franchising, identified Siberia and the Russian Far East as promising areas for development. She said the company was steadily extending the geographical reach of its franchise network, drawing on its accumulated regional experience and existing infrastructure.

She described the openings in Khabarovsk and Tuva as another step in that direction. The company sees potential for further growth in eastern Russia and aims to attract new entrepreneurs to help expand the network. This statement sets out its strategic direction but does not specify the number of future stores or a timetable for further openings.

At the time of the report, Pyaterochka’s franchise network comprised 794 stores across 52 Russian regions. It had more than 150 entrepreneur partners. These figures relate to the franchise network and should not be confused with the brand’s total store count.

All three figures matter when assessing the scale of the franchise programme: the number of stores, its regional reach and the number of entrepreneurs involved. They describe different aspects of the network. Even a broad geographical presence, however, is no substitute for assessing an individual project: each store’s prospects need to be evaluated in light of its premises and the conditions under which it will open.

What prospective franchisees should consider

The new openings provide several reference points for an initial discussion with the chain: total floor areas of 485–500 sq m, product ranges of around 3,000 and more than 4,000 lines respectively, and partners with different professional backgrounds. These are features of two stores that have opened, not universal franchise specifications.

Prospective franchisees should clarify the premises requirements, the location approval process, how product ranges are determined and the scope for stocking local goods. The division of responsibilities between the partner and the chain during preparations for opening also deserves a separate discussion.

Practical takeaway: use the Khabarovsk and Kyzyl openings as examples to inform a detailed conversation with the franchisor, but base your decision on the terms and financial viability of your own proposed store.