Tana Davila was not a coffee drinker. Not for the first 30 years of her life—until one particularly tired “mom morning,” when a colleague introduced her to Dutch Bros. From then on, before heading into the office as CMO of P.F. Chang’s, she made a stop for coffee.
At Chang’s, Davila leaned into loyalty and delivery, sharpening her ability to use technology as a growth engine. She even dabbled in beverage strategy—a detour that would later feel less like a side project and more like foreshadowing.
Her path to the C-suite wasn’t linear. She began in CPG, learning how to turn the dials of marketing and revenue growth—from product promotion to the fine details of shelf placement. From there, she stepped into the restaurant space, serving as CMO of CKE Restaurant Holdings, overseeing Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.
So when the call came in 2023 to join Dutch Bros as CMO and help guide its next phase of growth, it wasn’t really a question. She had worked with key members of the leadership team before. She understood the business. Most importantly, she believed in the brand’s culture.
“It’s been a combination of experiences over time that have put me in a good place to lead Dutch Bros,” Davila says. “What I initially loved about the brand is how I’d show up and be a little happier leaving than when I came. It’s the reason people come back—and it’s our role to make the guest’s day better than when they showed up.”
In 2023, Dutch Bros was still largely viewed as a regional coffee player. But the brand had the right bones to compete nationally—particularly as consumer demand surged toward cold beverages and energy infusions, one of the industry’s hottest growth segments.
For Davila, the mandate wasn’t reinvention. It was amplification: double down on Dutch Bros’ DNA and scale it without diluting what made it distinct.
The results have been hard to ignore. The company remains on pace to reach 2,029 shops by 2029. Dutch Bros closed 2025 with 1,136 system shops across 25 states, including its first walk-up-only location in downtown Los Angeles, which opened in November.
A recent acquisition of 20 Clutch Coffee Bar locations across North and South Carolina further accelerated that expansion. Rapid growth, however, can test a brand’s identity. For Davila, protecting it starts with clarity.
“Dutch Bros stands for positive energy, and we manifest that in different ways—whether it’s the friendly service we aspire to deliver every day or how deeply we’re ingrained in our communities,” she says. “We go beyond a very functional beverage. As our founder would say, we’re not in the beverage business, we’re in the relationship business—and the product is love. We don’t lose sight of that.”
Dutch Bros has captured the attention of Gen Z in a way few legacy beverage brands have. It strikes a balance between commerce and culture, curating content and products that reflect what its core customer is thinking and feeling.
From viral straw toppers to car magnets and sour candy straws, Davila spends time on social media watching what customers share, like, and comment on. Inspiration often comes from adjacent categories—ice cream, candy, and mixology—while ideas also flow organically from the brand’s ambassador program.
“The next generation of consumers values customization, which is central to what we do,” Davila says. “Going deeper, there’s this concept of ‘come as you are,’ and we’re very inclusive in everything we do. That resonates with a generation coming of age in a very wild world. Positivity that transcends drinks connects with this group and drives our success.”
Yet behind the personalization is operational discipline. Davila notes that the commercialization of customization is highly structured, allowing the brand to deliver consistent product quality at scale. While drinks can be customized, there are guardrails around how beverages are built and executed in shops, supported by infrastructure designed for consistency.
Now, with the rollout of its official CPG platform, Dutch Bros is building awareness at scale in parts of the country where its footprint is still growing. For Davila, it’s a full-circle moment, given her start in CPG.
“73 percent of our transactions go through the loyalty program, so we have a very one-to-one connection with our guests,” she says. “We want to be where our customers are and offer options for different occasions. We view CPG as an enabler that will scale alongside our shops. The shop should lead—that’s your first interaction with the brand—and as we expand, you’ll see retail goods grow more broadly.”
Whether through drive-thru, walk-up, or a grocery shelf, Davila maintains a people-centric approach as those touchpoints evolve. Even with order-ahead, the model is designed for a physical handoff—an intentional moment of connection that reinforces the brand’s identity. In CPG, that connection extends to purpose, with a portion of proceeds supporting the Dutch Bros Foundation.
“The biggest opportunity for us right now is building brand awareness,” Davila says. “We find that once people experience the brand, they stick with us—whether as an employee or a customer. Growing our team from within has allowed us to deliver a brand experience at scale that’s extremely consistent, whether you’re on the West Coast or the East Coast.”
As the lead marketer for one of the fastest-growing brands in a highly competitive category, Davila emphasizes a strong focus on what you can control and how you show up in the work you’re given.
“As you grow in leadership, you have to get clear on what you can control and what you can positively influence,” she says. “My role is to push my team to be the best versions of themselves. We’re constantly setting big goals and stepping outside our comfort zones. Over time, that builds respect and trust—and in this industry, it creates a dynamic where people want to work with you again and again.”
The post The Marketing Playbook Fueling Dutch Bros’ National Expansion appeared first on QSR Magazine.