How does Dairy Queen create new Blizzard flavors? Why do some menu items go viral while others never make it to stores? And could a Mango Sticky Rice Blizzard ever come to America?

In this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, we sit down with Jane Friedrich, Executive Vice President of Research & Development at Dairy Queen, to go inside one of Minnesota’s most iconic brands. Jane is a food scientist with a Ph.D. in flavor chemistry and a former Cargill executive.

In this episode, she explains the science behind creating new menu items, how consumer trends shape innovation, and why social media has become a powerful force in determining what ends up on the menu.

Topics include:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:35 How New Blizzard Flavors Are Created
• 02:15 How Many Flavor Ideas Does Dairy Queen Start With?
• 03:13 The “Blizzard Freezer” and Bringing Back Fan Favorites
• 05:03 Food Trends Shaping Dairy Queen’s Future
• 06:19 Why Dairy Queen Invests in Food Beyond Ice Cream
• 07:31 The Science Behind a Perfect Chicken Strip and Blizzard
• 09:13 Why the Oreo Blizzard Is Still No. 1
• 10:47 How GLP-1 Drugs Could Change the Food Industry
• 11:13 Jane Friedrich’s Journey from Cargill to Dairy Queen
• 13:42 What It’s Like Working at Berkshire Hathaway-Owned Dairy Queen
• 15:01 How Franchisees Influence New Menu Items
• 16:29 Cocoa Prices, Inflation, and Food Costs
• 18:11 Products That Flopped—and Ones That Went Viral
• 19:58 How Dairy Queen Monitors Social Media Trends
• 20:45 The Science of Taste, Smell, and Flavor Chemistry
• 22:45 Why Dairy Queen Creates Powerful Childhood Memories
• 24:54 Why Dairy Queen Introduced the Mini Blizzard
• 26:38 Where Dairy Queen Is Headed Next
• 28:24 International Expansion and the Mango Sticky Rice Blizzard
• 31:01 Why You Can’t Build a Menu Based on Your Personal Favorites
• 32:30 Closing Thoughts

If you’re interested in food innovation, consumer trends, branding, or the business behind iconic products, this conversation offers a rare look inside the R&D engine of Dairy Queen.