Swig
A United States drive-through beverage chain known for customized “dirty sodas” made with soft drinks, flavored syrups, creams, and fruit-based additions.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Swig is a United States drive-through beverage and snack chain best known for “dirty sodas”: customized soft drinks blended with flavor syrups, cream, fruit purées, and other add-ins. The company was founded in April 2010 by Nicole Robison and her then-husband, Todd Tanner, in St. George, Utah. The founders had moved to Utah from Colorado in late 2009 and opened their first shop in a small location near what was then Dixie State University, now Utah Tech University. Swig initially promoted the concept with one-dollar drinks, using a low introductory price to encourage customers to try combinations that were not commonly offered by conventional soda fountains. The brand’s core proposition is customization rather than the manufacture of a proprietary beverage base. Customers typically select a branded soda such as Coca-Cola or Dr Pepper and combine it with syrups, creams, fruit flavors, or other ingredients. Swig also offers non-soda drinks, energy beverages with additional caffeine, cookies, pretzel bites, and rotating or limited-time treats. Its drive-through format emphasizes speed, convenience, repeat visits, and highly shareable drink combinations. Swig became part of the expanding Utah specialty-soda sector during the 2010s. In 2015, it sued competitor Sodalicious over the use of the phrase “dirty soda,” asserting trademark rights in the term. Sodalicious challenged the claim by arguing that the phrase was generic. The dispute ended in an undisclosed settlement in 2017. By that year, Swig had grown to 16 locations and was receiving franchise interest from outside Utah. Robison sold the chain to restaurant management company Four Foods Group in 2017; the same year, Savory Fund acquired a majority stake according to the company’s documented ownership history. Following the ownership change, Swig expanded from its Utah base. Within approximately five years, the chain reached 40 locations, and in 2021 it entered Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas. Rian McCartan became chief executive in October 2022. In November 2022, the Larry H. Miller Company became Swig’s majority owner, while Savory Fund retained equity and an operating role. Robison, Chase Wardrop, and Dylan Roeder also retained minority ownership interests. Alex Dunn succeeded McCartan as chief executive in 2024. Swig’s growth strategy has combined company-owned restaurants with franchising. In 2023, the company announced plans to open 25 corporate locations and establish a franchise program. It also began selling products through Megaplex Theatres. The brand announced expansion plans across states including Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Idaho, as well as additional development in Texas. By June 2024, Swig had 81 locations in seven states, while management had contracts or development commitments associated with approximately 500 additional stores over a five- to seven-year period. The reference material also identifies a broader footprint of sixteen states by February 2026, although a precise location count for that date is not provided here. Swig has benefited from strong regional and online interest in specialty sodas. The category has particular cultural resonance in parts of the Mountain West, where soda can function as a popular social beverage for consumers who avoid alcohol and coffee. In December 2021, a photograph of singer Olivia Rodrigo holding a Swig cup circulated widely after she posted it on Instagram, contributing to viral attention on social platforms including TikTok. The chain received another burst of public visibility in 2024 through its appearance in the television series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Swig subsequently used that attention in its marketing. The company remains an active, privately held U.S. beverage retailer centered on drive-through service, flavored soft drinks, franchising, and regional expansion.
History
Swig began in April 2010 when Nicole Robison and Todd Tanner opened a drive-through specialty soda shop in St. George, Utah. The founders had arrived from Colorado in the fall of 2009 and selected a small site near Dixie State University, now Utah Tech University. Rather than operating as a conventional fountain business, the shop emphasized combinations of branded sodas with flavored syrups, cream, and other additions. An introductory one-dollar price helped attract customers and establish the concept locally. The business developed within Utah’s growing specialty-soda culture. Swig’s signature products became known as “dirty sodas,” a category name referring to soft drinks modified with flavorings, cream, fruit purées, or similar ingredients. The concept offered a highly customizable alternative to standard fountain drinks while remaining compatible with a quick drive-through visit. In addition to soda combinations, Swig developed energy drinks, other non-soda beverages, cookies, pretzel bites, and limited-time treats. A notable legal dispute occurred in 2015, when Swig sued rival Sodalicious over use of the phrase “dirty soda.” Swig claimed it had trademarked the term in 2013, while Sodalicious maintained that the phrase was generic and should not be exclusively controlled by one operator. The litigation concluded with an undisclosed settlement in 2017. Although the dispute did not end the specialty-soda category, it illustrated the competitive importance of the terminology used to describe the emerging format. By 2017, Swig had 16 locations and was receiving franchise proposals from outside Utah. That year, Robison sold the chain to Four Foods Group, and Savory Fund acquired a majority interest according to the available account of the company’s ownership. Over the next several years, the chain expanded to approximately 40 locations. In 2021, it entered Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas, moving beyond its original Utah base and establishing a platform for broader regional development. Leadership and ownership changed again in 2022. Rian McCartan became chief executive in October, bringing prior experience from See’s Candies. In November, the Larry H. Miller Company became Swig’s majority owner. Savory Fund retained an equity position and an operating role, while Nicole Robison, Chase Wardrop, and Dylan Roeder also retained minority interests. Alex Dunn, a Larry H. Miller Company managing partner, replaced McCartan as CEO in 2024. Swig subsequently pursued a hybrid company-owned and franchised growth model. In 2023, it announced plans to open 25 corporate locations and initiate franchising. The brand began selling drinks through Megaplex Theatres and announced expansion in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Idaho. It also expanded in Texas, including a planned San Antonio presence that grew from two announced sites to three. Arkansas received its first franchise location in Rogers in 2023. The chain’s public profile has also been shaped by popular culture and social media. A December 2021 Instagram post by Olivia Rodrigo showing her with a Swig cup circulated broadly, producing viral discussion on platforms such as TikTok. In 2024, Swig appeared prominently in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, creating another increase in attention that the company used for marketing. By June 2024, Swig reported 81 locations in seven states and had development commitments connected with approximately 500 additional stores over a five- to seven-year period. The available reference material states that the brand operated in sixteen states by February 2026, but does not provide a corresponding exact store count. Swig remains a privately held American drive-through beverage brand centered on customized soft drinks and franchise-led expansion.
- 2024
Swig reports 81 locations
[1]By June, the company has 81 stores in seven states and plans associated with approximately 500 additional stores.
- 2023
Franchising program launches
[1]Swig announces corporate development targets and begins building a franchise network, including expansion into Arkansas and Texas.
- 2022
Leadership and majority ownership transition
[1]Rian McCartan becomes CEO, followed by the Larry H. Miller Company becoming majority owner later in the year.
- 2021
Expansion into Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas
[1]Swig opens or develops locations outside Utah in three additional states.
- 2017
Ownership changes and chain reaches 16 locations
[1]The lawsuit settles undisclosed; Robison sells Swig to Four Foods Group, and Savory Fund becomes a majority investor according to the documented history.
- 2015
Trademark litigation begins
[1]Swig sues Sodalicious over use of the phrase “dirty soda.”
- 2013
Swig claims trademark rights in “dirty soda”
[1]Swig later asserted that it had trademarked the phrase, leading to a legal dispute with Sodalicious.
- 2010
First Swig shop opens in St. George
[1]Nicole Robison and Todd Tanner establish Swig as a drive-through specialty soda business in St. George, Utah.
Products and positioning
A fast, highly customizable drive-through beverage brand focused on specialty soft drinks, indulgent add-ins, convenience, and social-media-friendly drink combinations.
Specialty soft drinks · 2010
Dirty sodas
Swig’s defining product category consists of branded carbonated soft drinks customized with flavored syrups, cream, fruit purées, and other additions. Customers can alter familiar sodas into more indulgent or fruit-forward combinations. The drinks are designed for drive-through service and repeat customization, making the category central to Swig’s identity and its visibility in specialty-soda culture.
Caffeinated beverages
Energy drinks
Swig sells energy-based beverages that can be fortified with additional caffeine and flavor ingredients. These drinks extend the brand beyond traditional fountain soda and appeal to customers seeking a more stimulating alternative while retaining the customization and convenience associated with Swig’s core beverage model.
Beverages
Non-soda beverages
The chain’s beverage menu includes options outside conventional carbonated soda. Specific product names are not established in the supplied reference material, but the broader range supports customers who want Swig’s flavor customization and drive-through format without selecting a standard soda-based drink.
Snacks and desserts
Cookies, pretzel bites, and limited-time treats
Swig maintains a limited food menu intended to complement its beverages. Documented items include sugar cookies and pretzel bites, together with rotating or limited-time treats. Food is supplementary to the company’s beverage-led proposition rather than the primary basis of the brand.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2024The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives promotion
United States
Swig’s prominence in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives produced a new wave of consumer attention. The company moved quickly to use the program’s visibility in its marketing activity.
Outcome. The brand experienced another surge in cultural and social-media interest.
- 2021Olivia Rodrigo social-media visibility
United States · Social media
A photograph posted by Olivia Rodrigo showing her holding a Swig cup circulated on Instagram and other social platforms, including TikTok. The post was not described as a formal paid endorsement, but it generated substantial organic attention for the brand.
Outcome. Swig received viral online exposure and increased public awareness.
Brand decisions
2024
Alex Dunn becomes CEOOtherBackground
Swig continued expanding under Larry H. Miller Company majority ownership.
Action taken
Alex Dunn, a managing partner at the Larry H. Miller Company, succeeded Rian McCartan as chief executive.
Aftermath
No further leadership outcome is specified in the supplied reference material.
2023
Corporate expansion and franchise rolloutStrategyBackground
The company wanted to accelerate development beyond its existing company-owned store base.
Action taken
Swig announced 25 corporate-owned locations, launched franchising, and pursued development in states including Florida, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Idaho, and Texas.
Aftermath
The company added new franchised and corporate locations and reported 81 stores by June 2024.
Initial franchise investment. $504,900-$1.1 million (2024 franchise disclosure information)
2022
Larry H. Miller Company takes majority ownershipM&ABackground
Swig was moving toward a larger multi-state and franchise-oriented operating model.
Action taken
The Larry H. Miller Company became majority owner, while Savory Fund retained equity and operational involvement.
Aftermath
Swig continued pursuing corporate openings, franchising, and expansion into new states.
2021
Geographic expansion beyond UtahStrategyBackground
Swig sought to extend its specialty-soda format beyond its original Utah market.
Action taken
The company expanded into Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Aftermath
The new markets formed part of Swig’s broader regional growth platform.
2017
Sale to Four Foods Group and Savory Fund investmentM&ABackground
Swig had grown to 16 locations and was attracting expansion interest outside Utah.
Action taken
Nicole Robison sold the chain to Four Foods Group, while Savory Fund acquired a majority stake according to the documented ownership history.
Aftermath
The business expanded to approximately 40 locations within five years and entered additional states.
Recent events
- 2024
Alex Dunn succeeds Rian McCartan as CEO[1]
Leadership change
Alex Dunn, a managing partner at the Larry H. Miller Company, became Swig’s chief executive.
- 2024
Swig reaches 81 locations and targets large-scale expansion[1]
Other
By June 2024, Swig had 81 locations in seven states. The company also had development commitments associated with approximately 500 stores planned over five to seven years.
- 2024
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives increases Swig’s cultural visibility[1]
Campaign
Swig gained renewed attention after appearing prominently in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The company responded by using the show-related attention in its marketing.
- 2023
Swig announces corporate growth and franchising plans[1]
Other
Swig announced plans for 25 corporate-owned locations and launched a franchising program. It also began selling its drinks through Megaplex Theatres and announced development plans in several new states.
- 2023
Swig expands in San Antonio and Arkansas[1]
Other
The company announced two San Antonio locations, later adding a third, while Arkansas opened its first franchise location in Rogers.
- 2022
Rian McCartan named Swig chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Rian McCartan, previously an executive at See’s Candies, became Swig’s chief executive in October 2022.
- 2022
Larry H. Miller Company becomes Swig’s majority owner[1]
M&A
The Larry H. Miller Company acquired majority ownership in November 2022. Savory Fund retained equity and an operational role, while several existing stakeholders retained minority interests.
- 2021
Swig enters Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas[1]
Other
The specialty-soda chain expanded into three additional states as it developed a broader Mountain West and southern operating footprint.
- 2021
Olivia Rodrigo post contributes to Swig’s viral visibility[1]
Campaign
A December 2021 Instagram photograph of Olivia Rodrigo holding a Swig cup circulated widely and helped drive social-media attention for the brand.
- 2017
Swig changes ownership and expands beyond Utah[1]
M&A
Nicole Robison sold Swig to Four Foods Group, while Savory Fund acquired a majority stake according to the company’s recorded ownership history. The chain had reached 16 locations and was attracting interest from prospective franchisees outside Utah.
Sources1 sources
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