Dairy Queen Throws Its Hat into the Coffee Ring

The ice cream and burger chain has begun serving a new line of cold, caffeinated products.

May 20, 2016

EDINA, Minn. – Does the crowded coffee market have room for yet another contender? Dairy Queen thinks so, as shown by this week’s launch of its cold, caffeinated drinks. The 4,500-unit chain now serves iced coffee, frappes and mochas as it tries to capture millennial consumers, Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

“Our target for this is millennial moms. Here are people who are unbelievably time-crunched, but still looking for a pick-me-up,” said Barry Westrum, executive vice president of marketing. “While the coffee market is really saturated, we saw an opening.”

While the new beverages appeared on the menu this week without much fanfare, Dairy Queen has a huge national TV campaign set to begin the week of May 22. Commercials showcasing the new coffee drinks will air during the season finale of “Dancing With the Stars,” the season premiere of “The Bachelorette,” and “Shark Tank.” “It is the biggest spend we’ve ever put against beverages in our history,” he said.

The ice cream and burger chain also will have its “hardest working happy hour,” weekdays between 2 pm and 5 pm, where small iced coffees will be only $1 and small blended frappes and Orange Julius fruit smoothies will be $2.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement