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7 Brew lands an investment from Blackstone to accelerate restaurant growth7 Brew lands an investment from Blackstone to accelerate restaurant growth

Blackstone has over $1 trillion in assets under management in several sectors.

Alicia Kelso, Executive Editor

February 15, 2024

2 Min Read
7 Brew
Arkansas-based drive-thru beverage concept 7 Brew Coffee has received a growth equity investment from Blackstone Growth to accelerate its expansion across the U.SPhoto courtesy of 7 Brew Coffee

Arkansas-based drive-thru beverage concept 7 Brew Coffee has received a growth equity investment from Blackstone Growth to accelerate its expansion across the U.S. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

7 Brew first opened in 2017 and has since grown to more than 190 locations, generating a more than 185% growth rate from 2021 to 2011, according to Technomic Ignite data. During a recent interview, CFO Nicole Miller Regan said there were approximately 2,000 stands under development agreements at the end of 2022.

“The opportunity is just massive, and anything is possible. The whole idea of what we’re doing translates across the globe. We want to break sales and development records,” she said. 

This Blackstone investment will certainly help toward that goal. Blackstone has over $1 trillion in assets under management in several sectors.

“We are on a strong growth trajectory thanks to our outstanding team, the Brew Crew, and are so excited to have found in Blackstone a true partner who understands our culture and whose global reach and incredible resources will enable us to reach this next stage of growth,” 7 Brew CEO John Davidson said in a statement. “Blackstone brings everything we are looking for to help serve our customers and support our franchisees – industry and market knowledge, franchisee relationships, data sciences, operations, and real estate expertise.”

Related:7 Brew’s growth is driven by its culture/capital connection

In a joint statement, Blackstone’s Todd Hirsch and Katie Storer recognized 7 Brew’s “impressive growth to date,” noting it is a testament to its strong team and franchisees.

“We are excited to partner with this business that is redefining the out-of-home coffee experience by marrying a personal, human-centric customer service experience with premium products and exceptional efficiency,” they said.

Jimmy John Liautaud, founder of Jimmy John’s Sandwiches, is a selling shareholder in this transaction. He was one of the initial majority investors in 7 Brew after forming Drink House Holdings alongside Lone Star Steak House founder Jamie Coulter.

Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]

About the Author

Alicia Kelso

Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.

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