In Europe Macdonald's Corp. Profits Mostly From Russia, Netherlands

Growing consumption of MacDonald's fast food in Russia and the Netherlands has kept up the corporation's European profits at a positive mark. In the 2001, first quarter, the total volume of MacDonald's sales came to 9,649 million dollars and profits, to 378 million dollars. The information is revealed in a quarterly report of the fast food giant. A sharp downfall of demand in Europe, owing to consumers' fear of the mad cow and foot-and-mouth diseases, was stabilised largely through a still-growing demand for Big Macs in the Netherlands and Russia. The number of MacDonald's fast food restaurants in Russia /the first one opened on Pushkin Square in Moscow/ has now increased to 58. Today, red-and-yellow eateries in Moscow and the surrounding region, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Samara, Nizhni Novgorod and Yaroslavl cater for over 1250,000 Russians daily. The total number of Russians eating at MacDonald's has overstepped the 250,000 mark, and the Pushkin Square outlet in Moscow is still the most frequented eatery of this kind in the world. Thanks to the Russians' loyalty, the company enjoys financial stability in Europe. In the 2001, first quarter, the MacDonald's corporation's European profits were 2 percent up, despite all the negative trends.