KIEV, Aug. 20 - Polish fast food company AmRest, which operates 31 Rostik's-KFC and 18 Pizza Hut restaurants in Russia, has signed a memorandum of intent with Kuwait's Americana to set up a joint venture in Ukraine to expand the chains there, an AmRest official told Interfax.

The JV will be set up on a 50-50 basis. "If the parties decide to bring in a local partner, it might take a stake of up to 10%, in which case AmRest and Americana would each have 45% stakes," the official said.

AmRest and Americana signed the memorandum on July 25. It is effective until the actual agreement is signed, but no later than December 31, 2008.