KIROVSK DISTRICT, 28 August (BelTA) – During a working trip to Mogilev Oblast Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko explained under what condition he may be ready to go to a Mak.by restaurant, BelTA has learned.
The conversation steered towards the possibility of using Belarusian potatoes in public catering, including in the Mak.by chain of restaurants. The president recalled that the former owners had fled Belarus and the state had had to interfere to keep the chain operational. “I said: come on, you won’t take away this McDonald’s with you, will you? You cannot take away 27 outlets. Well, go ahead. I had it on my watch list,” the president recalled. “Today I am told that people stand in lines. Got over it. We have smart people.”
After this decision was made, initially there were certain complications with the procurement of ingredients for cooking individual dishes. For instance, burgers needed patties cooked according to certain recipes, special potato varieties were needed for deep drying, and so on. The head of state gave instructions to use Belarusian foods as much as possible. Especially since the country is famous for its quality and tasty foods and makes them in sufficient amounts.
The import substitution rate is close to 84% at present. “Belarusian products should be used over there,” Aleksandr Lukashenko formulated a task. He stressed that only Belarusian potatoes should be used to make French fried potatoes. The president was assured that at present this chain cooks everything out of Belarusian raw materials, including French fries and patties for Big Macs. The imports are limited only to buns, which production in Belarus is about to start, thus covering the remaining 16% of the 100% localization rate. Plans have been made to commission the relevant bakery in February. Once it is operational, Mak.by will rely only on Belarusian foods.
Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned he would be interested in going to a Mak.by restaurant. But he would do it only on one condition: when he will be able to taste a dish made only of Belarusian foods. The president admitted he had never tasted what is on the menu at Mak.by. Although other foreign leaders prefer this kind of food. For instance, U.S. President Donald Trump loves Big Macs so much that a special truck that cooks this food follows him everywhere.
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