Steady expansion, a strong Q4 finish, and an ongoing investment in the guest experience
HTeaO, the nation’s leading iced tea franchise, closed out 2025 with 36 new locations, including 14 openings in Q4 alone. The strong finish capped a year defined by disciplined expansion, committed franchise partners, and continued investment in the guest experience, alongside the brand’s focus on Brewing Purpose in the communities it serves.
Throughout 2025, HTeaO broadened its national footprint with growth across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, while also entering Arizona, Tennessee and Colorado as new states. With these openings, HTeaO now operates in 11 states nationwide.
Grand opening celebrations remained a meaningful way for HTeaO to connect with new communities and welcome first-time guests. Across all openings for the year, the brand served over 11,000 free cups of tea and sold over 13,000 half-priced gallons, introducing the HTeaO experience while celebrating each community it joins.
“2025 was a year of intentional growth while remaining true to the HTeaO experience,” said Shane Clark, Chief Development Officer of HTeaO. “That momentum is a direct reflection of the strength of our franchise partners and the demand we continue to see across the country.”
He continued, “As we look to 2026, we’re planning for more than 40 openings and expansion into new markets including Scottsdale and Sarasota.”
Beyond store growth, HTeaO continued expanding what guests can enjoy from the brand through seasonal beverages, new categories, and strategic partnerships, while keeping tea at the center of the experience. The brand also continued building digital engagement after launching its new app and loyalty platform in December 2024; in 2025, HTeaO surpassed 1,250,000 loyalty accounts, averaging 38,000 new signups per month.
Among the year’s standout limited-time launches was Fizzy Refreshers, a new twist on HTeaO’s popular Refresher lineup featuring Maison Perrier sparkling water. Available August 1–31, the limited-time offering marked the brand’s first carbonated Refresher, bringing together vibrant fruit flavors, natural energy, and an effervescent finish. The Desert Pear flavor became the most successful LTO in brand history.
HTeaO also leaned into brand collaborations that brought fresh energy to the menu. The brand partnered with poppi twice in 2025, activating across two separate campaigns that introduced flavor-forward offerings and helped drive guest excitement. In the fall, HTeaO partnered with Tony’s Chocolonely, the Dutch chocolate impact company on a mission to end exploitation in cocoa, to launch the Tony’s Chocolonely Peanut Butter Latte, blending HTeaO’s Free Rein Homestead coffee with Tony’s signature milk chocolate. That seasonal momentum carried into winter with the Snickerdoodle Latte and Peppermint Mocha, continuing to grow HTeaO’s coffee lineup with flavors built for colder-weather cravings.
To round out the year, HTeaO debuted holiday cups nationwide for the first time across all iced drink sizes, paired with limited-edition green straws to create a cohesive seasonal in-store experience, one that’s sure to turn into a tradition HTeaO guests look forward to year after year.
Community impact remained a key priority for HTeaO throughout 2025. In May, the brand’s partnership with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation raised $147,311.57, funding more than 14 months of pediatric cancer research. That commitment continued in October with HTeaO’s fourth annual Round-Up campaign, which raised $150,110 for the Ryan Palmer Foundation Breast Cancer Initiative, marking the program’s most successful year to date.
“In 2025, we stayed focused on growing thoughtfully, bringing HTeaO to more communities, introducing seasonal drinks guests get excited about, and showing up for causes that matter,” said Heath Nielsen, President of HTeaO. “That same approach will carry into 2026 as we keep building on what our guests and franchise partners love most about the brand.”
With a strong close to the year, HTeaO enters 2026 focused on continued expansion, seasonal beverage offerings, and long-term community impact.
For more information on HTeaO and franchise opportunities, please visit HTeaO.com/franchise