Fast growth in Russia

The pace of rapid development in Russia continues. While we were away for three weeks, three new fast food restaurants sprung up in our local area. Rostiks have struck up a peculiar relationship with KFC (or have they?). The drinks are still sold by Coke, yet KFC are owend by Pepsi, something is a miss here.


Traveller's Coffee have been around for quite a while here. They are sort of a local version of Starbucks, and there are no Starbucks here.

China Town. Well not really. A fast food restaurant for Chinese food. Now I like my Chinese food, but I don't know how authentic this will be. I haven't tried it yet. The food "looked" Chinese, but I did find it amusing to see five very blonde Russian girls dressed up in Chinese costume, working behind the counter. A recent ban on business visas for the retail sector means that there will be very few Chinese people seen in restaurants in the future, unless they are already residents.


This one didn't just spring up. New York Pizza are the groundbreakers in the fast food industry in Novosibirsk, but they are starting to feel a bit old and worn now.

Russia's economy has been growing at around 8% for the last five years now. That doesn't mean that things are all rosy though. Many people still struggle and are underpaid. But there is now a burgeoning middle class that make up 26% of the population. Slowly but surely?