HTeaO Appoints Chris Phillips as Chief Financial Officer

Experienced restaurant finance leader joins the brand to support franchisee success and continued national growth

FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HTeaO, the nation’s leading iced tea franchise, today announced the appointment of Chris Phillips as Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Phillips will oversee the company’s finance, accounting, information technology, and strategic planning functions as HTeaO continues its rapid expansion across the U.S.

Phillips brings more than two decades of experience leading finance and strategy for highly franchised, multi-brand restaurant organizations. His background includes senior leadership roles with some of the most recognizable names in the industry, including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, where he was part of the executive team that supported the brand’s $1.8 billion sale to Restaurant Brands International, and Darden Restaurants, where he led finance and strategy initiatives tied to large-scale growth and acquisition activity.

“I’m excited to join HTeaO at such a pivotal time,” said Phillips. “The brand has built incredible momentum, a deeply engaged franchise system, and a loyal and growing customer base. What stood out to me immediately was the opportunity ahead to help strengthen the financial foundation of the business while partnering closely with franchisees and leadership to support smart, sustainable growth. This is a brand with a long runway, and I’m energized by what we can build together.”

As CFO, Phillips will oversee finance, accounting, strategic planning, and information technology, with a focus on strengthening financial and technology infrastructure, driving insights that support franchisee profitability, and partnering cross-functionally to execute HTeaO’s long-term growth strategy as the brand scales nationally.

“Chris brings the rare combination of strategic vision and hands-on operational experience,” said Justin Howe, co-founder and CEO of HTeaO. “He understands what it takes to grow a franchise brand the right way, with discipline, transparency, and a strong partnership mindset. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue investing in our franchisees, our people, and the future of HTeaO.”

Phillips is known for building high-performing teams and scalable systems across finance, analytics, supply chain, and technology. His appointment underscores HTeaO’s continued investment in leadership that supports long-term value creation and a strong, franchise-first growth model.

For more information please visit hteao.com.

About HTeaO

HTeaO, the leading iced tea franchise in the United States, has ascended as a frontrunner within this niche, a growing category within the beverage industry. With a cost-effective, highly-attractive business model, the brand operates their own supply chain, resulting in significantly reduced costs of goods. Offering a range of ultra-premium tea, water, and coffee products, HTeaO caters to customers both in-store and through convenient drive-thru services. Each location boasts 20+ meticulously crafted flavors of sweetened and unsweetened tea, made using a proprietary water filtration system and 100% natural ingredients. In January 2023, HTeaO announced a minority partnership with two Dallas-based private equity firms, Crux Capital and Trive Capital, signaling a strategic move for stable expansion. Hitting a significant milestone of 150 locations in July 2025, HTeaO is on the path of continued growth. HTeaO believes in fostering an atmosphere where all are welcoming, and takes pride in its commitment to giving back to its local communities. For more information on franchise opportunities, please visit https://HTeaO.com/franchise/.