Translated material
"The versions that this is a break in a business or competitors, we completely exclude"
Interview with the owner of the Pizzeria Pizzeria network Fedor Ovchinnikov. The Ministry of Internal Affairs suspects that drugs are distributed through the network
On February 7, the owner of the largest network of Dodo Pizza in Russia, Fedor Ovchinnikov, told Facebook that he was called as a witness for interrogation in the case of drugs on a particularly large scale. The case was opened on the statement of a certain Catherine Pronina; The documents say that Ovchinnikov with partners under the cover of the network of the pizzeria allegedly engaged in drug supply from Latin America. On February 8, it turned out that Pronin is the co -wester of one of the pizzeria "Dodo". At the same time, Pronin stated that she did not write a statement, and her signature was forged. Medusa journalist Yevgeny Berg spoke with Fedor Ovchinnikov: he considers accusations against the company Surrealistic and does not plan to leave his business.
Who is Fedor Ovchinnikov and why everyone talks about the Dodo Pizza network
The founder of the Dodo Pizza franchise Fedor Ovchinnikov is 36 years old, he is from Syktyvkar, by education - an archaeologist. At 24, Ovchinnikov took a loan for apartment renovation at the bank, but with this money a bookstore opened in Syktyvkar, and then, along with other investors, another seven. Due to the 2008 crisis, he was forced to sell his share in business; This story is described in the book of journalist Maxim Kotin “And Botaniki makes a business” (which businessman Evgeny Chichvarkin called “The Best Book of Business in Russian”).
In 2011, Ovchinnikov opened the first pizzeria “Dodo Pizza” in Syktyvkar. Now the franchise includes 299 pizzerias (these are restaurants and delivery services) in ten countries of the world, including in the USA and China. Back in 2012, The Village called Ovichnnikov among the 25 most successful young entrepreneurs in Russia. In 2015, Ovchinnikov, with the help of crowdfunding, received 100 million rubles from private investors, then the company's annual revenue exceeded a billion rubles (according to the results of 2017-six billion rubles).
Ovchinnikov calls “Dodo Pizza” “It-companion”: it is indeed one of the advanced in Russia in technical equipment and is controlled using the Dodo IS platform (includes the franchise website, call center, change control system, mobile applications for couriers and cashiers). The company's financial statements are in the public domain, this is the fundamental position of Ovchinnikov. He himself constantly talks about his business on social networks.
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- The media and Facebook users found out that Ekaterina Pronina, who allegedly wrote a statement on which the criminal case of drug sales on your network was initiated by one of the Dodo pizzeria. You said that you are not familiar with her.
“I know far from all Frankishi , but I don’t know investors, whom we have more than one and a half thousand.” So, when I was informed in the police that Pronin wrote a statement, this did not say anything to me, we only thanks to comments on the Internet realized that it was a pizzeria investor in Lyubertsy. Immediately called a French partner from there. We had no problems with him at all, he perfectly manages the business. And he himself is in shock, because he was immediately started to blame, write letters, and call him. And he says that he and Catherine Pronina had no problems either, she does not know at all what was happening there - he simply invests money and does not plunge much into the business. They contacted her, she says that she was in shock, and that she did not write any statement.
By the way, when the lawyer and I showed this statement by the police, I tried to remember him as much as possible and specially paid attention to the signature - it was so big, sweeping. I asked to send a scan signature by a prophecy - generally different. Interestingly, in the statement it was written: they say, I, such, are related to the pizzeria in the city of Lyubertsy, the address is indicated. And the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not even check this information. The investigator said: "We do not know what kind of woman it is, we did not communicate." Despite the fact that they received a statement on November 1.
- You wrote that in November in a pizzeria in South Medvedkov, employees found a “bookmark”. At the same time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that a package with 550 grams of powder was found, and then, after a month and a half, another, weighing 200 grams. Bulware for the "bookmark".
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not tell us anything at all. No more found, nor anything. Employees [pizzeria in South Medvedkov] found some kind of bundle in the toilet. They called the police. She arrived, fixed, left - and that’s it. No one attached any importance to this. You see, we have 300 pizzerias-somewhere a fight occurred, somewhere else ... I don’t even know in detail what kind of revenue has in which pizzeria in our network.
In January, in the same pizzeria, our employees found the second package - in the same place. I did not know this: we must follow, immerse myself, and until I was called for interrogation, I did not see any sense in this at all. The lawyer and I wrote a statement yesterday to deal with the falsification of the signature. You received a completely clatter statement, it has a crazy accusation, but they are not looking for the applicant. But there are [other] addresses of the pizzeria. And the investigator begins to tell me that they also find drugs in them.
- Yes, you wrote in a post on February 7, that, according to the investigator, “bookmarks” found in other pizzerias, but you and your partners know nothing about this. Is it really so?
- There are two facts when [packages] were found by our employees. They are in one pizzeria, in South Medvedkov, in the same hatch - in November and January. But the investigator said that there is information, which is also in other pizzerias [there are “bookmarks”]. True, they did not officially confirm this yesterday ( in a press release issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on February 8, it is only about two packages found in the pizzeria in South Medvedkov-approx. Medusa ). Our partner from the pizzeria in Medvedkov met operatives in his other pizzeria-in Dolgoprudny, they examined something there, allegedly associated with this criminal case. No more facts.
- Why then did the investigator say that there are “bookmarks” in other points?
- Well, she told me at first, for example that there was no personal statement of a proponent, there is only electronic ( during the same interrogation, Ovchinnikov was also allowed to familiarize themselves with the paper original statement - approx. Medusa ). Maybe this psychological pressure is some kind, I don’t know.
- Tell us about the investigator. You wrote that this is a "young beautiful girl."
- Yes, a young slender girl, a blonde. The name is Alexander, I don’t remember the last name.
“You gave her a book after interrogation.”
- Yes, we have such a book that we give employees, it is not for sale anywhere. About 10 thousand people work on the network, and we have made a book in which it is written how the company works in general, how decisions are made, about principles, about history. She asked about the company - I gave her this book. So that she understands what for the company, she plunged, saw her essence; I understood all the absurdity of what is happening. I gave it for this.
“Do you think she will open her?”
- Well, why not? Honestly, I try to see the good in all people. It seemed to me that when she conducted an interrogation, she herself understood his absurdity. She had two tasks for interrogation. The first is to prove my legal connection with the pizzeria in Medvedkov, the second is to find out my relationship with the franchisi of this pizzeria, Stanislav Semenov. She asked how often we meet, calling on what issues we communicate on, whether I congratulated him on my birthday and so on.
As for the legal connection - I explained to her that we have two companies. The first is “Pizza Venture”, which controls and owns our own pizzerias, there are 13 of them. I opened this company when I created the first pizzeria. The second legal entity is Dodo Franchising, we created it later to sell a franchise. I am the general director of Pizza Ventur, and I have no relation to Dodo Franchising, another person works as the director. So I legally have nothing to do with the pizzeria in Medvedkov, because Dodo Franchising sold it to her franchise.
The investigator approximately understood this, and tried to tie [me] in a different way, said: “You created this brand!” I ask: "What do you mean by this word?" In Russia, the brand is what is registered in Rospatent. Our brand was recorded by Dodo Franchising. Then she noticed that a foreign company owns both our companies. I explained that this is not some kind of offshore company for tax evasion, but simply a company in English law.
- It looks like she attracted you to this story.
- Well, it is. It was obvious for us with a lawyer at this interrogation that this case was a setup. Even the statement itself is written right in form.
- If this is an order for the company, then who is behind it?
-You know, I can’t even remember any direct conflicts with one of the investors. And the versions that this is a break in a business or competitors, we completely exclude.
- Why?
- This is a difficult business. We have a franchise core - our own information system, which is served by 50 developers. We need constant investments in IT - and large enough. And we have not yet reached the stage when the management company, which receives royalties from the franchise, will begin to earn money. According to our forecasts, she will show profit only this year. All because we continue to invest in the information system, this is a unique feature of our franchise. So “taking away the business” is a non -resistant version. This is not some resource that will bring money, regardless of how to manage it.
- And competitors?
- We have a market where it is not the one who has worse competitors, but the one who works better. But even when the competition is very high, a collision with a competitor still does not make sense, because the main factor in success is still your work. In the United States, we opened a pizzeria in the city of Oxford, Mississippi, 30 thousand people live. And there are 160-180 restaurants. And our pizzeria is successful, profitable, and on Tripadvisor is considered the best in the city. Just thanks to work, although the local market is a bloody ocean in terms of competitors.
- Then who could order this criminal case?
-I think some kind of inadequate person who can have completely crazy motives. We have many fans - probably there are cheaters.
Another point: we are an open company, publish presentations, we say that the revenue of the network this year [2017] amounted to six billion rubles. People who do not understand business, think: “Wow, it means that the company has money! So, it’s easier for them to pay than to walk on interrogations. ” No one expects that we will not go to any compromises, we will not pay anyone and generally go to risks - this is a very unpleasant story for the brand. Partners are now sending us letters from landlords from other cities: "You just do not distribute drugs with us there." No one reads the news deeper. Yesterday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs wrote that 700 grams were found in 2017 and in 2018. In Russia, a bunch of such “bookmarks” are being done, but why does this news get into TASS? This is the answer of the PR services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to our public actions.
All this is extremely unpleasant for us, because we are building such a family brand, with certain values.
- What?
- Home - openness; This is the principle on which our company rests. We have open kitchens, webcams hang, we observe all standards, for example, people in the kitchen put on robes and shoe covers, even if it is the general director. It seems to you that I say banal things, but in the catering system such things are unique for internal functioning. We publish information about the revenue, as if burning bridges in this way. Or, for example, any of the ten thousand employees, and the client, can write me a letter, and we answer it.
And the second principle is trust; Our company is building an ecosystem around it out of trust. For example, the rule "60 minutes, or pizza - for free." We never checked whether the delivery was really late: if the client says that he was late, we immediately gave him pizza, because trust is more profitable. And people, partners, franchisees who share these values and ideas came to us. And here such a story is directly opposite to our values.
-Previously, you or any of the partners had to deal with conflicts with law enforcement agencies?
- Never.
- For seven years not even?
- No. This is now I say sincerely and honestly. Never. I traveled around the country, and nowhere and we never had any problems - everything, always and everywhere was solved adequately. They came across different people, but there was never anything that is happening now.
- How will you resolve the current situation?
-Firstly, publicity. Similar situations occur in Russia [for many], and not everyone has a lever of publicity. It appeared for me because we are doing business publicly, and I will use this lever, because I am responsible for the franchisee, for entrepreneurs, for investors. By the way, it so happened that it was tomorrow [February 10] we have an annual meeting with investors. Tomorrow I will tell them everything. And besides, we wrote a complaint to [the Commissioner for Entrepreneurs, Presidential Candidate Boris] Titov, and statements to the police, to the prosecutor’s office, wherever possible. More precisely, I will not say, this is our lawyer. So we will act. I hope that in a couple of days I can not do this and focus on business again.
“Do you think this will subside in two days?”
- I suppose that it will not end quickly, but it makes no sense to spend energy and worry if you did everything you can. Then you just need to work and act according to the situation.
“You probably still go on interrogations.”
- Well, if they carry it, I will walk, I will write about it. I do not know what the second interrogation will be about [February 9]. I have an assumption that I will sign a non -disclosure subscription. Another reason why they call me for a second interrogation, and so sharply, I do not see.
- Suppose you will be made to the suspect in the case. Can the company work without you?
- Yes, sure. We have a large team, and the company is quite centralized and independent-200 business entrepreneurs, which are united by the information system.
- Do you admit that you may be under arrest?
-You know, when I went to interrogate the day before yesterday, I thought that this was some kind of misunderstanding, someone accidentally told my last name when they interrogated the guys working in the pizzeria-and they decided to simply interrogate me from the procedure too. But what the investigator began to say is just surrealism. What will happen next? Now I can assume everything at all, but, of course, I believe in common sense.
As a businessman, I understand that from the point of view of public resonance, to squeeze us now, even if there is an order, this is beyond good, evil and common sense. For a huge number of entrepreneurs, we are a symbol of Russian business, which was created from scratch and is developing globally, we have a chance to build a global consumer company in Russia. The worst thing that can be done for PR business in Russia is to pursue our company.
- You reason so that law enforcement agencies work with an eye on the interests of business in Russia.
-No, no, I may be an idealist, but it seems to me that there are adequate people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there is a person who understands the absurdity of what is happening. Who has a family, children friends ...
-That's just a family and children, maybe it is necessary to feed someone in this matter.
- ( Laughs. ) I don’t know ... I believe in people, maybe it helps me now. It helped to create a business.
-In the post that you published on February 7, it is said: “As soon as I publish this note, someone in the comments will write:“ Uncle, what did you want ... this is Russia! ” Please do not write. I don’t know who arranged this, but they will not make me stop loving our country, people around, to become a dull pessimist. ” Why did you write this?
- Just assumed that people would write it. When you write such posts, a large number of people begin to comment: "What did you want?" Or "Yes, you have to leave here." I don't like this pessimism. I never idealized our country, I understood all the difficulties, while I understood that you could build a business. Find adequate people, create an ecosystem around you. I know a huge number of cool people - suppliers, partners - who are passionate about their business with whom you can build trusting relationships. And I do not want to leave Russia, because I can’t join the culture in a foreign country and feel my own.
- They wrote these words and never thought that we had to quit everything and leave?
- No, I didn't think so. I thought that a large number of people can perceive my post in this way, but I do not want to be perceived so. Just imagine: people worked for a long time, put off, saved up, sold her grandmother’s apartment, and then took all this money, invested and opened the pizzeria here in this country. And I say to such a person: everything, dude, kapets. Only he will not go anywhere, he does not even know languages except Russian, he will live here. And I am sending this person a signal “******, I have to blame”? Sorry, no. I will not abandon these people. Pessimism is a defeat.
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Вечером 9 февраля Федор Овчинников написал , что приехал на повторный допрос, но все, что он узнал — это то, что из ОВД Южного Медведкова его дело «передано вышестоящим органам». Книгу про ценности компании «Додо Пицца» следователь вернула Овчинникову со словами «Вы это забыли».
Evgeny Berg