McDonald's Kazakh franchisee suspends work, citing supply issues

The Kazakh franchisee of U.S. fast food chain McDonald's will suspend the operation of all its restaurants from Nov. 18 "due to restricted local supplies", the company, Food Solutions KZ, said on Thursday. It provided no details on the supply restrictions and did not say when its 24 outlets could reopen in the nation of 20 million.

The Kazakh franchisee of U.S. fast food chain McDonald's will suspend the operation of all its restaurants from Nov. 18 "due to restricted local supplies", the company, Food Solutions KZ, said on Thursday. It provided no details on the supply restrictions and did not say when its 24 outlets could reopen in the nation of 20 million. The company belongs to Kazakh businessman Kairat Boranbayev who was detained in March on embezzlement charges.

Boranbayev was affiliated with the family of former Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev who in January lost his remaining positions of power after falling out with his successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, amid violent unrest. McDonald's withdrew from neighbouring Russia this year after the invasion of Ukraine.