Tampa Tribune:
It is difficult to determine the marketability of an ice cream treat in the middle of winter when the temperature is below zero and there is a foot of snow on the ground.
The weather in Florida – at least for the most part – is more conducive to testing the tastes of customers, which is why Dairy Queen is having nine DQ Grill and Chill restaurants, including the Sebring store, serve as a test market for the company’s new Mini Blizzard.
Results from the test will determine whether Dairy Queen rolls out the Mini Blizzard to restaurants around the country.
Ron Turner, the Sebring manager, said that geography is one factor in setting up a test market. Turner noted that in the Midwest there are not many Dairy Queens open now because “it’s snowing.”Turner said he expects some operators of Dairy Queens in the north to visit his store this month or in March. It’s a seasonal venture for them with stores open during the summer and closed in the winter.
“It’s hard to do tests in markets like that,” he said. “In Florida, we’re lucky that we have great weather year round and so it can really support a true type of sales observation.” Read full story.
