Dairy Queen Making the Right Moves

What is the key driver for foodservice moving forward in 2018 and beyond?  In the minds-eye Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® there is one dominate element that will power success within retail foodservice over the coming years.  Johnson calls it the new electricity that is partnerships.   

The new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing.

Food companies the ilk of Restaurants, Supermarkets, C-Stores, and Drug Stores, selling food that want to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson.

Yes, and for the first time ever, Dairy Queen has partnered with Ghirardelli to introduce two treats just in time for Valentine’s Day. DQ has blended its signature vanilla soft serve with chunks of Ghirardelli chocolate and real strawberry topping to create the new Dipped Strawberry Blizzard Treat Made With Ghirardelli and new heart shaped Dipped Strawberry Cupid Cake Made With Ghirardelli. The Cupid Cake and Blizzard Treat are available at participating DQ and DQ Grill & Chill locations nationwide for a limited time.

Maria Hokanson, Executive Vice President of Marketing for American Dairy Queen stated “Ghirardelli and DQ are the quintessential sweet pairing. If you want to treat yourself, or a loved one, to something extraordinary this Valentine’s Day, you can have your choice of our new Blizzard Treat or perfectly shareable Cupid Cake, or both,”  “With treats like these, fans can have a decadent Ghirardelli experience paired with world-famous DQ soft serve to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a truly special and memorable way.”

The team at Foodservice Solutions® reminds us that consumers are dynamic not static and chain restaurants must be dynamic as well.  How are you driving customer relevance to your brand?  Where is you new electricity coming from to fuel relevance?  What partnerships are driving customer relevance fresher and faster?  Outside eyes can help you find the fuel for your new electricity.

Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization? Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information