Jimmy John Liautaud, founder of Jimmy John’s, and Jamie Coulter, founder of Lonestar Steakhouse, are getting into the coffee game.
The duo is now majority owners of Seven Brew Drive-Thru Coffee, a nine-unit chain spread across Northwest Arkansas. Liautaud and Coulter made the investment through Drink House Holdings, which is described as an “executive and entrepreneur led partnership focused exclusively on the consumer sector.”
In conjunction with the investment, Seven Brew is launching a franchise program to accelerate growth across the country. Founded in 2016, the young coffee chain’s mission is “cultivating kindness” and serving espresso-based coffee, chillers, teas, infused energy, sodas, and more.
Coulter said the combination of Drink House’s resources, expertise, and global brand-building experience will turn Seven Brew into a leader, while maintaining the brand’s original mission. Liautaud noted that drive-thru is “ripe for reinvention and rapid growth” and that Seven Brew and Drink House are in a position to disrupt the category.
“We admire the Brew Crew’s passion towards fearlessly exploring new ideas, ingredients, and connections that help us learn more about ourselves, each other, and our communities,” Liautaud said in a statement.
Seven Brew said it’s “revolutionizing” the drive-thru experience by placing a heavy emphasis on the customer experience. The brand believes it authenticity and ability to ignite happiness opens the door to a wide range of demographics and geographies.
The company said the investment from Drink House will further its goal to form a deep consumer connection, attract best-in-class talent, improve speed and quality of service, and fine tune operations. The goal is to open company-run and franchise stores in new and existing markets.
“Drink House Holdings understands the goals, vision, and core values of Seven Brew and those remain the same—to cultivate and expand our unique company culture and dedication to our people, customers and local communities,” Evan Grisham, Seven Brew’s president and director of franchising, said in a statement. “We have set ambitious growth and expansion goals, including launching a franchising program, and Drink House Holdings’ expertise will be invaluable in achieving those goals.”
