ISN Exclusive: KFC, Pizza Hut operator Devyani International to bring Warren Buffett’s Dairy Queen to India

Publicly listed company Devyani International, the firm that runs popular brands like KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee, has made moves to launch US-based Dairy Queen, a fast-food chain, in India as it looks to capture a larger share of the burger and other fast-food consuming customers, sources privy to the developments told IndianStartupNews (ISN).

Dairy Queen was acquired by world-class investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway for $585 million in a cash and stock deal in 1997.

Since then, Buffett’s love for the brand has grown multifold. He is, in fact, known to take visitors, including celebrities and business associates, to Dairy Queen in Omaha, Nebraska, his home state.

Buffett and his late wife Susan Buffett were fans of the brand — and he’s famously fond of DQ’s vanilla soft serve and banana split, a dessert Indians will hope to grab in India soon.

Devyani International chose not to reply to ISN’s queries.

The move is at a time when the Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) operator has been aiming to diversify its portfolio amid widening losses. The company’s net loss for Q4FY25 widened to Rs 14.7 crore, compared to a loss of Rs 7.5 crore during the same quarter last year. At the same time, revenue for the quarter increased 16 percent from last year to Rs 1,213 crore. The company's topline at the end of the March quarter last year stood at Rs 1,047 crore.

However, the company’s top management had hinted at the possibility of expanding its portfolio of international brands. 

After tying up with international brands such as New York Fries, Tealive, and Sanook Kitchen, the management said, “This marks the beginning of our expansion with the new brands, and you will see more coming in the current year.”

This tie up comes shortly after Devyani International bought out a majority stake in Biryani By Kilo for Rs 420 in a move to increase its portfolio presence