Salt Lake City — Swig, the highly popular and fast-growing specialty drink shop, has appointed Chase Wardrop as president. In this position, Wardrop will oversee all company operations and the management team of Swig. He will be responsible for expanding the brand’s footprint into new geographies, which includes plans to open 18 new units in 2021.
Wardrop has been instrumental in Swig’s rapid growth, and the expanding specialty soda culture as a whole. Today, under his leadership and teamwork with partners Dylan Roeder (vice president, marketing and innovation) and Nicole Tanner (founder of Swig), they have grown sales to more than $30 million annually with 18 stores planned in 2021 and expansion into two new states. This will bring the Swig brand to 47 units in more than six regional markets throughout the western U.S.
“We’re thrilled to have Chase at the helm of our growing team and beloved Swig brand,” says Shauna Smith, CEO of Savory. “Drawing on his deep experience and passion, Chase will lead Swig into its next phase of growth.”
After graduating college in 2015, Wardrop and longtime friend Dylan Roeder, co-founded The Soda Shop in Wardrop’s hometown of Gilbert, Ariz. Wardrop and Roeder then sold a majority stake of The Soda Shop to Savory in early 2017, after which it merged with the original soda brand, Swig. During this transaction, Wardrop became the vice president of operations for Swig, under the direction of Savory, a Mercato Partners food and beverage focused fund.
Photo: CBRE
“Swig is an incredible brand with the best team possible and I couldn’t be happier to continue its hypergrowth into the future,” says Wardrop. “We’re a team that never settles and will continue to evolve and improve.”
“Despite the challenges 2020 presented, the brand flourished under Chase’s leadership as we were able to open nine new units, bringing the magic of Swig to new communities in Utah and Arizona,” says Tanner.
Swig, home of the Dirty Soda™, was founded in 2010 in Saint George, Utah. Owner and Founder Nicole Tanner and her husband came up with the idea for a drive-by drink shop that had customized flavors added to its drinks. From that small beginning, Swig has expanded into multiple states becoming thousands of people’s go-to destination for personalized drinks, customized energy drinks, boba teas, cookies and other sweets. For more information, visit www.swignsweets.com.
Savory, a Mercato Partners Fund, invests in the food and beverage industry. Savory partners with high-potential, profitable, emerging restaurant brands. For more information, visit www.savoryfund.com.
SOURCE: Swig / Savory