The sandwich chain Subway announced Friday that its restaurants in Russia will begin operating under the new name “Subjoy” by the end of 2025, after franchise holders in the country lost trademark rights over the war in Ukraine.
While many major Western fast food chains have formally exited Russia since the onset of the 2022 invasion, Subway, which first opened in Russia in 1994, remains in the country through independently owned franchises.
Some former Subway chains in Moscow reopened under the name “Subfresh” in 2024. Last month, the media reported that Russia’s master franchisee had applied to trademark the name “Subboy” as its Subway brand rights were due to expire in 2025.
Global franchisor Subway International in June 2024 informed its Russian franchisees it will terminate the franchise agreements and stop supporting the Subway trademark in Russia, Subjoy said on Subway’s Russian website.
The statement also appeared on the master franchisee’s own website, subjoy.ru.
Subjoy said 140 former Subway restaurants will rebrand into Subjoy over the next 30 days, another 100 restaurants by Sept. 30 and the remaining unidentified number of restaurants by the end of 2025.
Subjoy Service Company operates around one-third of the 400 Subway restaurants in Russia, according to state media.
“We intend to transition smoothly so that both sandwich lovers and new guests encounter only positive changes,” said Subjoy Service Company executive director Olga Bludovskaya.
Head of franchise development Kirill Petrov said Subjoy is “prepared to offer new franchises, support existing ones and attract new partners.”
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