Swig reported an 8.2 percent same-store sales increase in 2024 and, according to Technomic Top 500 data, the brand’s systemwide sales grew nearly 50 percent in 2024, to roughly $84 million.
• Swig, the company often credited with inventing dirty soda and kickstarting the beverage craze, promotes Todd Smith to brand president and snags Shannon Swenson from Dave’s Hot Chicken to lead franchise development.
• Swig is on track to finish the year with 146 stores, an increase of about 46 percent in 2025.
If imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, then Utah-based drive-thru drink chain Swig can take credit for kickstarting the dirty soda boom.
Since introducing the world to dirty soda in 2010, Swig has inspired a crowd of imitators looking to tap into the hottest beverage trend. Franchises such as Fiiz Drinks, Quench It, SodaRush and Sip Soda Co. are bubbling up in more markets, a major restaurant companies including Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Jack in the Box and Sonic Drive-In are incorporating it on their menus—or in some cases, creating entirely new concepts.
Related: How Big Restaurant Brands Are Tapping Into the Beverage Boom
Beverage companies PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have also released their own ready-to-drink versions of dirty sodas, which infuse standard sodas such as Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew with creams, syrups, fruits and other flavorings.
Todd Smith was promoted to brand president for Swig.
“I see it as very flattering the fact that all these big brands are jumping in on the dirty soda craze. That tells us that we’ve created something that has some real lasting power,” said Todd Smith, who Swig promoted from chief consumer officer to brand president this week.
In his new expanded role at Swig, Smith will focus primarily on real estate development and construction, and work closely with Shannon Swenson, the new chief of franchise partnerships, on scaling the brand well beyond its 120 locations in 16 states. Swig’s system is roughly split between company-owned and franchise stores.
As the senior vice president of franchise development for Dave’s Hot Chicken, Swenson helped the brand grow to 360 locations and sign more than 1,000 commitments. Roark Capital bought Dave’s in June in a deal valued at $1 billion.
Swig hired former Dave's Hot Chicken executive Shannon Swenson as its franchise development chief.
Swenson envisioned a similar fast growth path for Swig, which is on track to finish the year with 146 stores and grow system sales by nearly 50 percent. Although Smith and Swenson declined to give specifics on their growth goals for Swig, they confirmed they are targeting aggressive franchise development.
“We experienced explosive growth at Dave’s and I don’t see any reason why we can’t see the same thing happen at Swig if we focus on growing with the right multi-unit franchisees who have a lot of restaurant experiences,” Swenson said. “I have a pretty extensive Rolodex of contacts I had at Dave’s, and I’ll be reaching out to some of those groups who are operating 10 or more restaurants and are interested in joining an exciting brand with 10-store commitments.”
Swig’s success creating a popular beverage category and growing its footprint well beyond its Utah roots has not gone unnoticed. The company won Deal of the Year in 2023 as part of the Franchise Times Dealmakers program, which recognized its transaction with The Larry H. Miller Company. The family office bought a majority stake in the brand in 2022 from Savory Restaurant Fund, which remains a minority owner and still handles franchising.
Related story: Swig Makes a Splash in Dirty Soda Space
Thanks to a steady flow of repeat customers, who account for 75 percent of all sales, and celebrity influencers such as pop star Olivia Rodrigo, the brand continues to grow. Its popularity was further amplified by the cast members of Hulu reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” who are frequently shown with their Swig drinks and share custom orders on social media.
Smith said Swig generates sales from a wide demographic range, but its sweet spot remains 18- to 30-year-old females.
Again, Smith credited Swig’s success to the dirty soda trend and the growing number of well-known restaurant brands joining the craze. Although data shows the consumption of soda has decreased in the United States over the last two decades, the rise of dirty soda, plus the growing popularity of prebiotic sodas, has been credited with helping the beverage segment halt its downward trajectory.
Dirty soda's presence on restaurant menus is expanding quickly, with a 42 percent annual growth rate, as reported by MenuData. The percentage of U.S. eateries offering dirty soda, meanwhile, has increased from 1.5 percent a decade ago to 2.7 percent in 2025, according to Datassential.
Swig reported an 8.2 percent same-store sales increase in 2024 and, according to Technomic Top 500 data, the brand’s systemwide sales grew nearly 50 percent in 2024, to roughly $84 million.
Meanwhile, the average unit volume for Swig is approximately $1.2 million, according to the website, with the top performing stores coming in at $1.3 million, said its franchise disclosure document. The cost to open a Swig franchise is between $511,900 and $1,128,000.
And while a number of brands have jumped into the dirty soda market, Smith remained confident Swig will retain its place as a category leader.
“The thing we’re doing that no one else is doing is our flavor development and our focus on a service model that allows for drink customization and emphasizes keeping things fun in the stores with great customer interactions,” he said. “That’s a big differentiator for us, along with our small real estate requirements where we can put an 855-square-foot prototype endcap on a postage stamp amount of dirt. We’ve gone as small as a quarter acre of land.”
Smith said Swig rotates about 23 flavors on its menu with a schedule of seasonal drinks. The two most popular soda flavors are coconut and vanilla, and its best-selling drink is the Texas Tab, a mix of Dr. Pepper with vanilla and coconut cream. Other popular Swig drinks are the Shark Attack, with lemonade, coconut cream, blue raspberry and Sprite, and the Strawberry Breeze, a summer drink with strawberry and coconut notes.
“One of the things that really attracted me to Swig was not only is it a favorite with my two daughters, it’s also in the simplicity of its product,” Swenson said. “Swig does not have an overly complicated menu and you don’t have to worry about food safety so much and all those other things you have to deal with in other QSR brands.
“I love the energy of the company’s culture and where the brand is heading, and look forward to seeing how big we can take this.”