Dairy Queen hires Art D’Elia as COO for operations

Dairy Queen has appointed Art D'Elia as the new chief operating officer for the U.S. and Canada. D'Elia, who previously worked at Domino's Pizza as chief marketing officer, brings extensive experience in the food industry. In his new role, he will manage 275 employees focused on operations, training, and marketing. Dairy Queen has nearly 5,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada and a vast network of franchisees. D'Elia expressed enthusiasm for joining the "iconic DQ brand" and aims to expand the business. D'Elia has also worked for companies like Danone and PepsiCo. He will report directly to CEO Troy Bader. Bader believes D'Elia will help elevate Dairy Queen’s franchise operations and achieve their goal of becoming a top quick-service restaurant globally. D'Elia takes over from Dan Kropp, who is now in charge of the company’s supply chain and development. Dairy Queen is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, owned by Warren Buffett. In 2023, the company reported a profit of $94 million on $248 million in revenue. Dairy Queen is looking to grow its international presence, especially in China. The company has over 2,500 locations worldwide and is committed to expanding further.