Franchise Veterans Launch Boost Coffee, Blending Energy Drinks and Drive-Thru Convenience in Jacksonville

Franchise veterans Mike Murray and Joe Herlihy launched Boost Coffee & Energy in Jacksonville with a clear premise: build the proof before selling the promise.

The brand's first location is scheduled to open on Jacksonville's Westside in May, followed by a St. Augustine store in August. Murray and Herlihy plan to operate roughly 10 corporate-owned units across North Florida before offering franchises to outside operators, a rollout they have targeted for late 2027.

The physical footprint is built around speed and low overhead. Each Boost unit occupies 600 to 800 square feet with a dual-lane drive-thru layout designed to push ticket volume without the staffing and build-out costs of a full cafe. The four initial corporate stores will be distributed across Duval, Flagler, Nassau, and St. Johns counties, giving the founders a range of North Florida markets to stress-test before any franchise disclosure document goes out.

The menu straddles two categories that have each shown sustained growth: specialty coffee and energy-forward beverages. Protein lattes, refreshers, protein shakes, smoothies, teas, and a proprietary Boost soda line anchor the drink offerings, with pastries and baked goods rounding it out. Each location will roast in-house, a differentiator from the energy-drink chain playbook, but one that adds operational complexity as the brand scales.

Murray pointed to a broader behavioral shift as the founding rationale. "Coffee is no longer just a morning ritual; it's an all-day lifestyle," he said. "And alongside that, we're seeing a surging demand for energy drinks and healthier alternatives to what's currently on the market."

That all-day positioning matters directly for unit economics. A concept capturing morning coffee, midday energy, and afternoon protein recovery across a dual-lane drive-thru has a longer revenue window than a traditional shop built on the 7-to-10 a.m. rush. Whether the compact modular format and in-house roasting can hold together across four counties before franchising opens is the operational question 2027 will answer.