In 2010 Burger King opened its first restaurants in Russia, a country it has found attractive not only because of the population and growth factors affecting all BRICs but also because it can serve as a contiguous area for further expansion into Eastern Europe. Indeed, Burger King's 2011 entry into slovenia has benefitted from supply integration with the Russian operation. In addition, concluding that finding the right franchisee was essential for the Russian market, Burger King's managers spent over a year getting to know the eventual franchisee, Alex Kolobov, who owns Shokolanitsa, a chain of about 200 Russian coffee shops. Although the formation of the franchise known as Burger Rus has resulted in growth in Moscow and St. Petersburg, more capital has been necessary to expand outside those cities. In 2013 Burger King announced the formation of a joint venture between Burger Rus and Russia's VTB Capital in order to open several hundred new restaurants in the country within the next few years.