(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
With temperatures recently reaching 122 degrees Fahrenheit in Salmiya, Kuwait, could there be a better time to open a Dairy Queen?
Berkshire Hathaway’s wholly-owned Dairy Queen® system has opened its first DQ Grill & Chill® restaurant in Kuwait in the Marina Mall in Salmiya.
Kuwait is the 27th country outside the U.S. and Canada with a DQ® presence.
Middle East expansion has been at the top of Dairy Queen’s list over the last couple of years. Its list of countries already includes locations in Bahrain, Brunei, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, with Jordan in the works.
A Focus on Emerging Markets
“Our strategy is to open franchises in emerging markets,” Dairy Queen’s President and CEO John Gainor said.
In April, Dairy Queen signed an agreement with SKM Franchise Co. LTD to open a minimum of 10 DQ locations in Jordan within five years.
“We believe there is an incredible growth opportunity in this region,” said Gainor. “The partnership with Durra Khaled for Foodstuffs Co. has allowed us to successfully re-launch our brand in Kuwait. Their wealth of business experience and diverse portfolio across the Middle East is a huge asset to the Dairy Queen system as we continue to invest and build on our global brand equity.”
Durra Khaled for Foodstuffs Co., a subsidiary of KMGC, has signed a long-term franchise agreement with the Dairy Queen system and plans to develop more than 20 DQ Grill & Chill restaurants and DQ Treat stores throughout Kuwait over the next five years.
The new restaurant features the full DQ Grill & Chill menu including the fan favorite, FlameThrower® GrillBurger™, chicken strip baskets, sandwiches and salads. The menu will also include the world famous DQ signature treats and beverages, such as the iconic Blizzard® Treat, soft-serve cones with the curl on top, sundaes and DQ Cakes.
The opening of the DQ Grill & Chill restaurant in Kuwait comes on the heels of the DQ brand’s recent store opening in the United Arab Emirates earlier this summer.
The DQ system has more than 6,500 locations, 1,457 of which are outside the U.S. and Canada.
For more information, read a Mazor’sEdge special report on Dairy Queen.
© 2015 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.