Dirty Soda Outsells Utah — What’s Going On?

Swig now sells more dirty soda outside Utah than inside it, and the gap is not small.

Story Snapshot

Swig locations outside Utah are outperforming in-state stores by roughly 40% to 50%, according to co-founder Andrew K. Smith.
The chain now operates in 23 states and expects to reach about 200 locations soon.
Swig invented the dirty soda category in a single Utah drive-thru back in 2010.
New leadership hires and franchise deals are pushing the brand into markets far from its home state.

A Utah Drink Habit Goes National

Swig began as one drive-thru stand in southern Utah in 2010. The idea was simple: mix soda with fruit purees, cream, and flavored syrups into a customizable treat.

That local habit has turned into one of the fastest-growing beverage chains in the country, now operating in 23 states and continuing to add new markets through franchise deals.

Andrew K. Smith, managing director and co-founder of Savory Fund, told Fox Business that Swig locations outside Utah are performing roughly 40% to 50% better than stores inside the state. That is a striking gap for a brand born and built in Utah for over a decade.

Why The Home State Is Falling Behind

The pattern makes sense once you think about market saturation. Utah has had Swig stands for years, so demand there has leveled off. States that just got their first location are still discovering the drink, and that novelty is translating into stronger sales per store, at least for now.

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Swig’s growth numbers back up the trend. The company was still adding franchise locations to more than 200 as it celebrated its 50th store, marking the first year its growth focus shifted entirely outside Utah. Announcements of 250 new franchise units across seven new states, including Florida, Tennessee, and Idaho, followed soon after.

From One Stand To A Coast-To-Coast Franchise Machine

Swig entered Colorado through a 10-unit development deal with father-and-son operators Alex and Alan Knox, bringing the brand into Colorado Springs.

By early 2026, the company reported operating in 16 states with 164 locations open, and it holds signed contracts to open about 500 stores within 5 to 7 years.

Utah’s Larry H. Miller Company acquired a majority stake in Swig from Savory Fund in 2022, a deal that gave the chain deeper local backing as it expanded nationwide. That partnership has continued to fund the expansion push well beyond the company’s original footprint.

New Leadership Fuels The Push

Swig promoted Todd Smith to president after his run as chief commercial officer, and named Shannon Swenson to lead franchise partnerships, moves the company says will support growth of both company-owned and franchised stores.

The chain also hired former Dutch Bros executive Daniel Batty as its first chief development officer, tasked with steering expansion across the United States and into Canada.

The Starbucksification Pitch

Smith’s comparison to Starbucks is not about coffee versus soda. It is about turning a simple drink into an identity people carry around, something customers photograph, customize, and post online. Social media has clearly played a role in that shift, with dirty soda content spreading fast among younger drinkers looking for the next viral treat.

Swig’s leadership at the Larry H. Miller Company has described the same arc, pointing to growth from a single southern Utah location to a national operation spanning 16 states, with more markets on the way.

Savory Fund, the private equity firm behind Swig’s early scaling, has since applied the same playbook to other Utah-born concepts, including a recent investment in Zao Asian Grill.

What Comes Next For The Category

Swig calls itself the creator of the dirty soda beverage category, and its franchise pipeline suggests the company plans to keep testing how far that identity can travel outside its home turf.

Whether every new market matches the early outperformance numbers remains to be seen, but the direction of the expansion is not in question.

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For a drink that started as a Utah novelty, Swig’s spread into two dozen states marks a real shift in how regional beverage brands can scale. The dirty soda trend now competes for shelf space and social media attention alongside major players like Starbucks and Dutch Bros, a comparison Swig’s own investors are happy to make.