7 Brew ended 2024 with 321 cafes, for a three-year growth rate of 744.7 percent. Today it has more than 500.
When it comes to rapidly growing franchisors in the United States, 7 Brew is the hottest new player everyone seems to be talking about. President Chris Dawson attributed its success to the employees, a group of “diverse, high-energy, friendly team players” called the Brew Crew.
“We truly have such a unique culture here,” Dawson wrote in emailed comments. “People are truly the heart of our organization and that’s why we are able to be one of the fastest-growing brands in the country.”
The brand’s debut on the Fast & Serious list follows astronomical unit growth. 7 Brew added 283 net new stores since 2022, when it had just 38 locations, bringing its unit count to 321 to close 2024. That’s a 744.7 percent increase in three years. Systemwide sales grew even more, from $52 million to $502 million, a massive jump of 865.4 percent.
Convenience, hospitality and speed of service keep customers coming back, Dawson said. “While customers today are faced with many options to grab a drink on the go, we’re certain that our focus on cultivating kindness is one of the reasons why customers keep coming back to 7 Brew,” he said.
At the unit level, the brand is focused on local marketing and community connections to drive sales for franchisees. The 7 Brew rewards app takes that to the next level by offering discounts and special offers to customers, Dawson said.
7 Brew got its start in Rogers, Arkansas, in 2017, when co-founder Ron Crume opened his first location. A group of entrepreneurs formed parent company Brew Culture and bought 7 Brew in January 2020. In March 2021, the then-nine-unit company attracted a new majority owner in Drink House Holdings, an investment partnership created by Jimmy John Liautaud, the founder of the Jimmy John’s, and Lone Star Steak House founder Jamie Coulter.
7 Brew President Chris Dawson, appointed in 2024, is the former head of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux.
Drink House exited in 2024 as private equity giant Blackstone, which also owns Jersey Mike’s and Tropical Smoothie Cafe, came in with a growth investment. All along, 7 Brew, which originally had a menu of just seven specialty coffee drinks, continued to sign major development deals and draw investor interest.
Flynn Group—the largest franchise operator in the world with Applebee’s, Pizza Hut, Wendy’s and more in its portfolio—signed a 160-unit development agreement in 2025. Private investment firm Franchise Equity Partners bought 7 Crew, the brand’s second largest franchisee at 50 units, in October.
In 2024, 7 Brew hired Dawson, the former CEO of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, and Chief Marketing Officer Nick Chavez, who held the same role at KFC for three years. Last year, the brand continued to bolster its executive team with Chief Supply Officer Christopher Held and Chief People Officer Stephanie Quillen.
“These appointments have helped support 7 Brew as we continue to scale the brand,” Dawson said, “and ensure that we have the right procedures and strategies in place to evolve our brand even further both internally and externally.”