Operations

HTeaO reports Q1 growth with new stores in 4 states, leadership hires

Photo: HTeaO

April 15, 2026

Summarize with

Iced tea franchise HTeaO opened 2026 with a strong first quarter. The brand opened seven locations across Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and Tennessee, according to a press release.

The brand expanded its footprint with new stores in the following locations:

Conroe, Texas: 2450 N. Loop 336 W.
Nokomis, Florida: 200 Albee Rd. W.
Sevierville, Tennessee: 840 Dolly Parton Pkwy.
Atascocita, Texas: 17622 W. Lake Houston Pkwy.
Gun Barrel City, Texas: 317 W. Main St.
Claremore, Oklahoma: 1750 S. Lynn Riggs Blvd.
Waxahachie, Texas: 502 N. Hwy 77.

The company also named Chris Phillips as chief financial officer, Jerry McClain as vice president of store development and Brian Aga as senior vice president of operations.

"The first quarter set the tone for the kind of year we believe 2026 can be for HTeaO," Justin Howe, co-founder and CEO of HTeaO, said in the press release. "We came into the year focused on building with intention, and Q1 reflects that. From new store openings to key leadership hires, every step we're taking is about supporting our franchise partners and strengthening the brand for long-term growth."

Product launches during the quarter included the Pistachio Latte, Sweet Spiced Orange Iced Tea and a Sweet & Spicy Refreshers lineup. In March, the brand introduced its first matcha beverages, featuring Churro Matcha, Strawberry Matcha and Lemon Lavender Matcha, along with the debut of cold foam.

"One of the most exciting things about this quarter was how different each launch felt," Kelsey McManemin, SVP of marketing at HTeaO, added in the press release. "We moved from a cozy pistachio pairing to Sweet Spiced Orange, then into sweet heat and finally matcha with cold foam. It gave guests something new to discover throughout the season and showed the kind of range we're continuing to build into the menu."

HTeaO hit a significant milestone of 150 locations in July 2025. In January 2023, HTeaO announced a minority partnership with two Dallas-based private equity firms, Crux Capital and Trive Capital.

Operations