Dairy Queen To Lean on International Growth in Five-Year Plan To Increase Sales to $10 Billion

In a recent interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Dairy Queen announced its goal to increase worldwide sales by more than $3.5 billion over the next five years. In order to reach its goal, the chain is counting heavily on sales at its existing and future international locations.

The Bloomington-based company reported its restaurants around the world brought in $6.4 billion in sales last year. It is aiming to reach $10 billion by 2030. The plans were announced at a Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting in May. Dairy Queen was purchased by the company in 1998.

There are more than 7,700 franchised DQ locations around the world, including 2,853 international franchises operating outside the U.S. and Canada through the end of 2024. The chain began franchising internationally in 1971 and now operates in more than 20 countries. At the current rate of growth, it won’t be long until more than half of all locations are outside the U.S.

“We want to continue to grow our presence around the world,” said Dairy Queen CEO Troy Bader. “That includes the countries we’re in now as well as beyond.”

The chain has more than 1,600 locations in China, where a majority of its 419 new units opened last year. Dairy Queen for decades only sold desserts in China but recently opened a few “Blizzards and burgers” stores that have received a positive reception.

Bader said last year that China was Dairy Queen’s fastest-growing market and they are seeing their growth opportunities internationally where its presence isn’t as mature. More broadly, the franchise is focusing on Southeast Asia. It has about 500 locations in Thailand and a presence in other nearby countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

Dairy Queen also operates more than 300 locations in Mexico. The company recently said it hopes to expand in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, where it has a defined supply chain and units in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. International Dairy Queen, which earns franchisee-paid royalties, earned a $97.8 million profit on $257 million in revenue last year, according to franchise disclosure documents.

In addition to international growth, Dairy Queen believes there are opportunities to expand domestically. The company has a large presence in the Midwest but no restaurants in New York City and very few in Los Angeles and downtown Chicago. Bader wants the brand to become more consistent in its menu, appearance, and execution as continues to scale.

After reporting comparable average-unit volumes of $1.165 million in 2024 and $1.168 million in 2023, Bader said Dairy Queen experienced a “positive” first quarter this year. This comes at a time when other fast-food chains such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and KFC have experienced a decline in in-store traffic and sales.

The full article about Dairy Queen’s plans to increase worldwide sales can be found HERE.