Staffing

HTeaO names former Freddy's executive Brian Wise as CEO

Photo: HTeaO

August 5, 2026

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Iced tea franchise HTeaO has named Brian Wise as its chief executive officer as the company prepares for further national expansion.

Wise previously served as chief operating officer at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, where he was part of a corporate leadership team that expanded the brand to nearly 600 restaurants. He succeeds HTeaO co-Founder Justin Howe, who will transition to executive chairman of the board to focus on long-term strategy, brand vision and product innovation, according to a press release.

The leadership transition follows an April 2026 growth investment by Dallas-based private equity firms Crux Capital and Trive Capital. The firms, which initially partnered with HTeaO in January 2023, now hold a majority interest in the company. HTeaO currently operates more than 180 locations across 11 states.

"Building HTeaO into the category leader it is today has been one of the greatest privileges of my life," Justin Howe, executive chairman of HTeaO, said in the press release. "Brian is an exceptional leader who understands what makes this brand special, and I have complete confidence in where he'll lead HTeaO next."

Wise brings nearly two decades of franchise experience to the role, including 15 years as a partner in one of Freddy's largest franchisee groups before joining its corporate team.

"What immediately stood out to me about HTeaO was that it has all the right ingredients for sustained success," Wise said in the release. "The quality of the product is unmatched, the guest experience is authentic and there's an incredible culture built around franchisees, team members and our corporate support staff all working toward the same goal. I've been in the franchisees' shoes, so I understand the importance of a leadership team that listens. My focus will be working hand-in-hand with our franchise partners to strengthen operations, refine our systems and build an even more scalable model — so HTeaO can keep growing for decades while staying true to what makes this brand special."

The private equity partners cited Wise's dual background in franchise operations and corporate leadership as a key factor in his appointment to lead the growing beverage brand.

"Brian is exactly the leader HTeaO needs for its next chapter," Wayne Moore, managing partner of Crux Capital, said in the release. "He has spent more than 20 years inside one of the best-run franchise systems in the country — first as an operator, and then as the executive who helped scale it to nearly 600 restaurants. That combination of operational discipline and genuine credibility with franchisees is rare. The team has built a category-defining brand, and Brian has the experience to institutionalize the talent, systems and infrastructure that will carry HTeaO to many times its current size."

"Our decision to increase our investment and become majority shareholders reflects our deep conviction in HTeaO," Shravan Thadani, partner at Trive Capital, said in the release. "The brand's passionate consumer following and nationwide whitespace are very compelling within the drive-thru beverage space. We are accelerating investments in the team, technology and infrastructure needed to support the next several hundred locations, and with Brian at the helm we believe HTeaO's best years are ahead of it."