Michelle Skidmore got into dirty soda the same way many do: Someone raved about Swig. Then she tried it herself and was hooked.

But there was no Swig in Idaho Falls, where she lived. Soon, local businesses started to fill that gap, and six years ago, after working at one of those shops, Soda Tsunami, Skidmore took over the brand. Her mixes of less-sugary sodas have found a loyal customer base, but competition has kept growing, she says, and the market feels saturated.

She actually shut down in December as sales dwindled, but reopened this summer because customers wanted her sodas back. She downsized from a small shack to a tinier trailer, and her streamlined business, now operating with markedly fewer syrups, seems to be working.

“It’s just word of mouth and getting people to put us into their routines,” she said.

But there may be trouble on the horizon — just down the street.

A Swig is set to open less than a mile away as part of the dirty soda giant’s plans for nationwide expansion. The Utah-grown franchise that started in St. George 16 years ago and is widely credited with starting the “dirty soda” craze now has more than 160 stores, according to CEO Alex Dunn, and ambitions to become the Starbucks of dirty soda.

This year, he said, the company is opening a new store every six days, on average.

Across the country, the expansion is bittersweet for the small business owners Swig inspired, who are now all searching for ways to stand out.

“It makes me a little bit sad because I love Swig,” Skidmore said, “but at the same time, I love being able to pay my bills more.”

When asked if Swig considers the impact it may have on small dirty soda shops, Dunn told The Salt Lake Tribune “we’re much more focused on where our customers are than where competition is.”

He thinks there’s room for everyone to get a piece of the dirty soda business, he added — even when Swig comes to town.

“As more people discover dirty soda, the entire category grows,” he said. “Our opportunity isn’t taking customers from someone else; it’s introducing millions of people to a category we were fortunate enough to create.”

‘It’s a little intimidating’

It’s relatively easy to open a dirty soda shop: Syrups, cups, ice and toppings can be bought in bulk at a low price, then sold for several dollars more.

Those low startup costs have helped fuel the industry’s growth, said Eric Schulz, a Utah State University marketing professor who once worked for Coca-Cola.

There are about a dozen larger dirty soda shops in the Idaho Falls area alone, including Idaho-born Fixxology, Pick Me Up, Hip Sip and Twisted Sugar. If you count the smaller trailers and tents, that number grows to closer to 30, Skidmore said.

Nationally, popular syrup-maker Torani saw dirty soda product revenue nearly double from fiscal 2025 to 2026, according to findings shared with The Tribune.

In such a crowded market, success often depends on branding, location and customer loyalty, Schulz said.

A good dirty soda, according to Skidmore, is all about getting the right ratio of soda to syrup. A lot of shops make their drinks too sweet, she said. She’s also spent time refining her order of operations (if you add the ice first, the syrup sticks and gets clumpy). Like Swig, she opts for wider straws.

It’s also about convenience: People stop by while running errands or after appointments, and even for her most loyal customers, the new Swig might be more convenient.

“I am excited because I love their business, and I think they’ll step the game up for a lot of other soda businesses around here, but at the same time,” Skidmore said, “I’m just a little mom-pop shop. I’m the employees, I’m the owner, I’m the manager, so it’s a little intimidating.”

‘I don’t know what the future looks like’

This summer, Deanna and Chris Kelsey opened their small dirty soda business in Citrus County, Florida, in what’s known as the Nature Coast.

Right now, their Mermaid Soda Shack mostly operates out of a tent on weekends at the Chassahowitzka River Campground, a canoeing hotspot home to manatees, otters and dolphins.

The Kelseys wanted their soda shack’s elaborate drinks — which cost about $8 — to pay homage to the scenery. That includes the “White Sand Spritz,” with mango, lemonade, Sprite, vanilla and coconut, as well as the “Coral Reef Rush,” with Red Bull and strawberry, vanilla coconut, almond syrups, plus cream.

There’s been a bit of a learning curve, teaching locals and visitors what dirty soda is, Deanna Kelsey said, but she and her husband have ambitions of one day opening a storefront, where people can hang out, drink their sodas and play. Swig, Dunn said, isn’t interested in that model.

While Mermaid Soda Shack doesn’t serve alcohol, they know plenty of people buy their sodas and add shots of their choosing. They’ve started crafting “mocktail-style” mixers for customers who’d like to indulge in something a little strong — “and that’s been a hit,” Deanna Kelsey said.

While Swig has a presence in Florida, it hasn’t expanded much into the Nature Coast area, and neither have many other competitors, she said. They are hoping they can carve out an early foothold.

In Kansas, where a nearby Swig has operated for more than two years, Derek Sorrells is also trying to stand out. The entrepreneur who’s been dubbed the “Willy Wonka of Wichita” wants to build up a franchise. He currently operates three dirty soda shops — including two within his ice cream shops — called Just A Sip.

He offers 24 soda bases — including both Coke and Pepsi products, like Swig — and just under 40 syrups, in addition to popping pearls and, of course, cream.

Going up against Swig can be intimidating, he said; they’re the “big dog.” But, he added, “you don’t have to be first to take it and run with it.”

He’s not looking to go national, but he wants to be competitive with companies like Swig, even if it’s a lofty goal.

“All we can do as a small business is make sure we’re giving amazing hospitality,” he said.

His franchises have also started offering something Utahns can’t get here: to-go “spiked sodas” — dirty sodas with added shots of whiskey, rum, vodka and tequila. There’s also Bailey’s and RumChata for the hot chocolate crowd.

Skidmore, in Idaho Falls, said that when she closed her soda business last year, she faced a tough six months. The shop had been her identity for so long, she didn’t know who she was without it.

She realized that her “heart was still in this” and she wasn’t “ready to give up.”

Looking forward, she plans to work a second job at night if needed to keep her business open and customers happy.

“I’m scared for myself, because I don’t know what the future looks like, especially with Swig coming in,” Skidmore said.

“I don’t mind sharing, but,” she continued, “they’re tough competition.”

— Tribune staff writer Samantha Moilanen contributed to this report.