Beans & Brews opens six stores, targets 25 new locations in 2026

Beans & Brews is making the kind of growth bet that still works in coffee: open more stores, open them fast, and put them where the traffic already is. The chain said it opened six new locations across three states in the first quarter of 2026, reached seven openings in its first 100 days, and landed five of those new stores in the last month of that stretch. It is now targeting 25 new locations this year after opening 11 in 2025.

The clearest sign that the brand is not just adding square footage is the new Price, Utah store inside Lin’s Fresh Market at 760 W. Price River Dr. The unit replaced a former Starbucks, and Beans & Brews says it produced the strongest opening weekend in company history. That matters because it shows the chain is not trying to manufacture demand from scratch. It is stepping into a coffee habit that was already there, then trading on speed, convenience and a drive-thru format that fits grocery-store traffic. The Price location also includes dine-in and B&B Express service.

That approach fits the broader shape of Beans & Brews’ expansion. The company says it is pursuing growth through traditional storefronts and non-traditional grocery-store partnerships, with new units coming from first-time franchise owners, multi-unit franchisees and corporate partnerships. In other words, the development base is widening. For regional coffee brands, that mix can be more durable than a one-track franchise push, especially when the sites are tied to grocery runs, commute routes and other repeat patterns that independent shops often have to build one cup at a time.

Beans & Brews has been at this for a while. The company says it was founded in Salt Lake City in 1993 by the Laramie family, who refined its high-altitude roasting process near Liberty Park. It began franchising in 2004 and now describes itself as an 80-plus-unit brand. Its franchise materials cite 2024 average unit volume of $963,118 for the top 25% of units and $883,000 for the top 60%, numbers that help explain why the chain can keep pulling in operators who want a repeatable model with some real volume behind it.

The current expansion push is also tied to a newer leadership group. Doug Willmarth joined as CEO in 2024 after nearly three decades in multi-unit restaurant leadership, including roles at MOOYAH Burgers, Fries and Shakes, while Sarah Anderson has been with Beans & Brews for more than 24 years and now serves as senior vice president of operations. The company’s recent maps have stretched from planned growth in Bellevue, Twin Falls and Jerome in Central Idaho to major Texas development deals, including a commitment for 40 stores in the greater San Antonio area over seven years. For regional coffee, that is the point: growth still works when it is disciplined, format-aware and close to where people already buy groceries, not just where they might someday seek a better latte.