Dairy Queen Franshises In The Philippines
Filipinos love ice cream. It is a popular dessert, a preferred pasalubong (something one takes home for his/her loved ones) and a special treat (along with the cake) during birthdays, anniversaries or just about any other special occasions for the Filipino family. The main reasons for its popularity are the predominant tropical climate of the Philippine islands (which triggers cravings for something cool and refreshing) and the renowned sweet tooth of its people. Ice cream stores, carts and scooping stations abound: in big supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores, food courts, and almost every place where there is heavy foot traffic, offering a variety of treat available with a range of flavors and sizes. Popular flavors range from chocolate variants, mocha, vanilla and tropical fruits like mango, ube, strawberry, buko to the more exotic langka, durian, as mashed potato and bacon, tuna fish, fried pork rind etc. Ice cream can be bought by bulk (those which come in gallons, half-gallons and pints), and by retail (those sold in cones, cups or sticks). Ice cream stations which sell frozen novelties in retail are increasingly becoming popular because it is more affordable and widely available. The Philippine market is dominated by established brands like Nestle, Selecta and Presto and small companies like the Arce Dairy Ice Cream. Imported brands such as Haagen Dazs, Dreyers Ice Cream and Dairy Queen have also successfully penetrated the market.
The Araneta Group of Companies' food division, Philippine Pizza Inc., is the licensed Philippine franchiser of the Dairy Queen ice cream stations and its sister company, Orange Julius, known for its juice products and hotdog sandwiches. A DQ outlet can be found at the Food Express, 3/L, Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. They plan to put up more outlets soon. According to Justin Holtkamp, director of international marketing of American Dairy Queen Corporation, "DQ operates in 22 countries, but Asia-Pacific, led by Thailand with over 180 stores, is our biggest market. China comes next with 65 stores. Hopefully, the Philippines will join the (leaders)." The Philippine sub-franchiser is also ecstatic about its being awarded the license. "It's the best and the biggest ice cream chain in the world. So, why should we not get it?" said Jorge Araneta, chair of the Araneta Group. "We knew people were happy with DQ products...we are excited to bring it back to those who still crave its goodness." Dairy Queen offers an appealing treat called the Blizzard, which is ice cream with candy bits blended in and is served upside down to prove the thickness. The most popular Blizzard flavors include Oreo Cookies, Kit Kat, M&M's, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, and Butterfinger. Dairy Queen is available for a single unit franchise which requires an initial investment of 2 million pesos. Target franchise areas are Metro Manila, Visayas, Mindanao. Current outlets can be found at various shopping malls in Metro Manila such as the Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Shangri-la Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City, SM City North EDSA in Quezon City, and SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. Ice cream business is still a promising venture in the Philippines, where desserts remain part of the daily diet and sweets are a satisfying treat. The key is in providing quality products at competitive prices and constant improvement and innovation. |