Dairy Queen has reached a milestone in China, having opened its 200th location in the country. The store is located in Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province. It is operated by Red Flag Profits, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shanghai Shida Catering Management Co. Ltd.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Dairy Queen expanded into China in 1991 and expects China to be the largest market outside of the United States and Canada by 2010. The company expects to have 500 units open in the region over the next five years.
"The Dairy Queen brand has experienced tremendous growth in China over the past several years and we look forward to continued expansion with our development partners," said John Gainor, president and CEO of International Dairy Queen Inc. "Our same-store-sales here grew 17 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same time last year. We believe this is a result of strong operating partners in China that provide the very best products and service to our guests every day."
DQ treats are popular in China, Gainor said, because the products are affordable and of the highest quality. The stores feature the chain's well-known product lines, including Blizzards and Orange Julius premium fruit smoothies.
Other quick-service companies, including Dunkin' Donuts and Yum! Brands, have recently announced success in the country as well. Yum!'s most recent quarterly earnings were boosted by growth in China, and Dunkin' Donuts also plans to add 480 stores over the next 10 years.
