Growler USA has signed franchise agreements that will expand its brand footprint to 35 locations in 18 states by the end of the year, including pub debuts in metro areas of Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, and several other cities across the country. Founded just two years ago, Growler USA is experiencing rapid growth because of demand to support local craft brewers while providing an elevated experience for the consumer.
Growler USA is a microbrew pub dedicated to offering only American-made craft beverages and a food menu designed to celebrate the flavors of each drink. Each pub location remains True to the Brew, with up to 100 taps of craft beer, hard cider, draught wine, and hand-crafted non-alcoholic beverages such as root beer and kombucha tea. The national franchise currently has locations in Eugene, Oregon; Charlotte, North Carolina, and Austin, Texas; with additional pubs planned to open this year in cities including Honolulu; Katy, Texas; Seattle; Denver; and Warner Robins, Georgia.
“We are committed to building mutually beneficial relationships with local and regional brewers around our franchised locations,” says Dan White, Growler USA CEO and founder. “While our franchisees are joining a national brand, Growler USA is inherently focused on the local communities. We are finding that our franchisees want to help celebrate American entrepreneurialism within their local craft beer community.”
The brand’s commitment to keeping the franchise local in each community is the reason Houston-area couple Lance and Jessica Mayo decided to purchase a Growler USA franchise over several others they were considering. The Mayo’s Katy pub is expected to open in July.
“Growler USA is a casual place for gathering in the community and this is something that attracted us to the brand,” says Lance Mayo, a former mortgage banker. “The company has a strong leadership team that puts the focus on people—and that’s exactly the type of business my wife and I wanted to invest in during this exciting new journey in our lives.”
Leading-edge technology that simplifies operations for franchisees is integrated into the Growler USA business model, with programs such as TurboChef and TapHunter used for food preparation and beer monitoring. The chain’s sophisticated beverage storage and delivery system delivers inventory and cost control data directly to franchise owners in real time.
Growler USA locations require 2,000 to 2,500 square feet of retail space, including back-of-house operations, and no prior food or restaurant experience is needed. The total investment range to open a Growler USA pub ranges from $396,000 to $591,000.
