Dairy Queen® Expands in the Middle East

Dairy Queen® has signed an agreement with franchisee Al Safwa Food Group to open multiple locations in Saudi Arabia. The move into Saudi Arabia marks the 17th country outside of the U.S. and Canada where Dairy Queen will have a presence.

The first Dairy Queen is scheduled to open in Riyadh in spring 2011 with a projected total of 32 locations by 2015. Dairy Queen currently has locations in the Middle East countries of Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“The international marketplace has become a major area of expansion for the Dairy Queen brand,” said John Gainor, president and CEO of International Dairy Queen, Inc. “International consumers really enjoy all that our brand has to offer and we look forward to bringing the great DQ® food and treats to Saudi Arabia."

Riyadh-based Al Safwa Food Group, managed by Ihsan Dalati, is a new retail holding group whose members previously were involved in the casual dining segment in Saudi Arabia.

DQ Grill & Chill® locations throughout Saudi Arabia will feature all of the soft-serve products that have made Dairy Queen an icon in the industry, such as the signature Blizzard® Treat, soft-serve cones, sundaes, frozen cakes and the MooLatté®, as well as great DQ Grill & Chill® food offerings such as the Chicken Strip Basket and delicious GrillBurgers®.

“When we open in Saudi Arabia, Dairy Queen will have locations across the GCC countries and in Egypt; we look forward to future expansion in other neighboring Middle Eastern countries," said Rose Nichols, director of international development for International Dairy Queen, Inc. "We predict that the Saudi market will be a huge success as Saudi consumers are eager to try new brands and products." Dairy Queen currently has more than 680 locations outside the U.S. and Canada.