Rostic’s owners acquire franchisee’s two restaurants in Kaluga

Restorany Bystrogo Pitaniya LLC, controlled by the co-owners of Rostic’s and the chain’s largest franchise partner, International Restaurant Brands, has acquired Kaluga-based franchisee TK LLC, which operates two restaurants. Kommersant reported the transfer of ownership on 1 November 2026. The acquisition continues the consolidation of restaurants within the chain, although the full scope and value of the deal remain undisclosed.

What is known about the restaurant acquisition

According to SPARK company records cited by Kommersant, Restorany Bystrogo Pitaniya LLC acquired 100% of TK LLC on 29 October. Before the deal, the Kaluga company was owned by Bezhan Kobeshavidze, who held a 75% stake, and Viktor Borsuk, who held the remaining 25%.

The buyer’s chief executive, Artur Khafizulin, confirmed to the newspaper that the acquired legal entity operates two restaurants. He also said the purchase formed part of a deal to acquire restaurants from another franchise partner. That partner had developed its business in areas where Restorany Bystrogo Pitaniya had not previously operated.

The confirmed transaction therefore involves full control of one company with two operating restaurants. It does not involve new openings or a new brand entering Kaluga: both restaurants already traded as Rostic’s.

For the franchise sector, the key point is how the operator is expanding. The buyer is increasing its presence by acquiring another franchisee’s business. As the buyer is itself a Rostic’s franchisee, the deal is more accurately described as the consolidation of franchisee assets by a company linked to the brand’s owners, rather than necessarily a transfer of restaurants into direct operation by the parent company.

Revenue rose while profit fell

TK LLC’s financial results show contrasting trends. According to Retail.ru, the two restaurants generated revenue of RUB 170.6 million last year, up 16.3%. Net profit, however, fell by 10.2% to RUB 2 million.

These figures describe the acquired business but do not, on their own, explain why its former owners decided to sell. The buyer’s stated rationale concerns expansion into territories served by another franchise partner. There is no basis for attributing the sale solely to declining profit.

Nor should the Kaluga company’s results be taken as representative of the entire Rostic’s chain or other restaurant franchises. They relate to a specific legal entity and two restaurants. The published reports provide no information on the reasons for the fall in profit, the company’s cost structure or its financial obligations.

The practical lesson is to assess revenue and profit together. Sales growth does not necessarily translate into a comparable improvement in the bottom line. When evaluating an existing franchise business, prospective buyers should examine the costs and obligations behind each figure rather than focus solely on turnover trends.

Why RUB 260 million is not the disclosed purchase price

Reports on the acquisition cite two valuations, each relating to a different potential package of assets. Mikhail Burmistrov, chief executive of Infoline-Analytics, valued TK LLC alone at RUB 50 million. This is an expert estimate, not a purchase price disclosed by the parties.

Investment banker Ilya Shumov suggested that the wider transaction might include three other franchisee companies with the same group of co-founders. On that basis, he estimated its value at RUB 260 million. That figure therefore relates to a possible acquisition of four companies, not just the two Kaluga restaurants.

Artur Khafizulin did not disclose the terms of the overall transaction. His statement about acquiring another partner’s restaurants confirms that the purchase has a wider context, but establishes neither the final price nor the full list of companies involved.

This distinction matters when comparing businesses offered for sale. It would be incorrect to treat RUB 260 million as the confirmed price of two restaurants. Even the RUB 50 million estimate should not be used as a benchmark without qualification: it comes from an external expert, and the actual financial terms agreed by the parties are unknown.

How the deal changes the chain’s franchisee base

According to Kommersant, Rostic’s is steadily reducing the number of independently owned restaurants operating under its brand. Retail.ru also notes that companies linked to the chain’s owners have acquired other franchisees’ businesses before. The Kaluga acquisition fits this pattern.

However, a change in an operator’s ownership does not in itself increase the chain’s restaurant count. The confirmed part of this deal changes control of an existing business. This distinguishes such acquisitions from organic growth through new openings and helps put reports of major franchise partners’ expansion into perspective.

For existing franchisees, the transaction illustrates another possible route within the network: selling their company to another operator of the same brand. In this case, however, the specific exit terms, the sellers’ returns and the buyer’s obligations have not been made public.

Practical takeaway: when assessing a franchise business acquisition, distinguish between the confirmed assets involved, financial performance and expert price estimates. In the Kaluga deal, the transfer of 100% of TK LLC, with its two restaurants, has been established; the wider scope of the acquisition and its final value still require separate confirmation.