Vkusno & tochka, Russia’s successor to McDonald’s, has partnered with Gazprom Neft to fuel its marine vessels with waste cooking oil, Reuters has reported.

With this new initiative, the two firms aim to reduce their carbon footprints, according to the report.

Vkusno & tochka, or "Tasty and that's it", which took over from McDonald's in Russia last year after the American restaurant giant announced its exit from the Russian market following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

McDonald’s successor brand in Russia is now part of the project as well as a company called Ecoway.

Vkusno & tochka sustainable development in charge Irina Korshunova was quoted by the news agency as saying: “Now, part of the processed products will be used as a bio-component for marine fuel. For the company, this is an important and conscious step in the implementation of the sustainable development strategy.”

Gazpromneft Marine Bunker, a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, is the first company in the country to make use of marine fuel blended with biofuel in the vessel in the Baltic Sea port of St. Petersburg.

Vkusno & tochka is said to have been providing waste cooking oil for the production of biofuel.

Annually, the company processes nearly 5,500 tonnes of waste cooking oil, and under the new partnership, a portion of the oil will be used as a bio-component for marine fuel.

Gazprom Neft Marin Bunker director general Anton Soboled was quoted by the news agency as saying: “The test fuelling in St. Petersburg showed that the new green fuel, in terms of its technical characteristics, is fully consistent with traditional petroleum products, while its use significantly reduces the carbon footprint.”