Dirty soda franchise brand Swig has signed a 14-unit development agreement covering New Mexico, adding a new state to a national expansion drive that has brought the brand to more than 150 locations across 16 states. The deal was announced October 22, 2026, with siblings Heather Berry and Brock Stokes named as the incoming multi-unit franchisees.
Swig was founded in 2010 in St. George, Utah, and describes itself as the originator of the dirty soda category, a beverage format built around customized sodas made with flavored syrups, cream, and mixers.
The brand operates a drive-thru-centric model, with units running as small as 800 to 850 square feet. The New Mexico agreement brings the chain into a new state at a point when the dirty soda category is drawing attention from larger competitors, including McDonald’s and Sonic.
Swig
We're not just selling sodas, we're delivering an experience and product that customers crave.
- Food and Drink
A 14-Unit Agreement Bringing Swig to New Mexico
The agreement commits Berry and Stokes to build 14 Swig locations across New Mexico, with the brand citing Albuquerque and Santa Fe among the target communities. The first opening is planned for summer 2027. The company stated that the franchisees had been longtime Swig customers before pursuing a franchise agreement, a profile the brand said reflects broader franchisee recruitment patterns. Heather’s daughters, Olivia and Emma, will also participate as business partners in the venture.
Two Siblings With Nearly a Decade of Franchise Experience
Heather Berry and Brock Stokes enter the deal as experienced multi-unit franchise operators, with nearly a decade of franchise experience between them. The siblings had been regular Swig customers before deciding to pursue ownership, a background the brand has highlighted as part of its franchisee recruitment narrative.
Family involvement extends beyond the two lead operators: Heather’s daughters, Olivia and Emma, will join as business partners, creating a family-led operation across the New Mexico territory. “Swig checked all those boxes for us,” says Heather Berry, incoming Swig multi-unit franchisee for New Mexico.
The Dirty Soda Format and How Swig Has Built Its Model
The dirty soda format centers on made-to-order beverages customized with syrups, cream, and flavored mixers, served from a drive-thru window rather than a dining room. Swig‘s compact footprint (800 to 850 square feet) keeps build-out costs lower than full-service restaurant concepts, a characteristic the brand has used in its franchisee pitch.
The chain entered franchise mode after years as a regional Utah brand, and its expansion has accelerated as interest in non-alcoholic specialty beverages has grown. McDonald’s and Sonic have both introduced customized drink programs in recent years, signaling broader category awareness.
Recent Multi-Unit Deals Signal a National Build-Out
The New Mexico agreement follows a series of large multi-unit deals that Swig has announced across 2026. The brand signed a 25-unit deal in South Florida, a 13-unit agreement in the Chicago area, and a 10-unit deal in Colorado Springs, among others.
The company has described its preferred deal size as 15 to 25 units per agreement, a structure intended to establish density within a market before moving to adjacent territories. The chain’s stated goal is to recruit qualified multi-unit operators for continued national expansion. The New Mexico deal is consistent with that approach, targeting a state that had no prior Swig presence.
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