Voodoo Brewing Co.

<a href="http://voodoofranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=voodoo-brewing-co-shifts-focus-to-food-innovation-in-2025-2728759" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Voodoo Brewing Co.</a> has always been unconventional. From its business model to its approach to brewing and menu curation, the brand aims to bring something special to the communities it enters. And in 2025, it’s taking this to another level with significant menu innovations on the way. Building on a trend that has seen food sales steadily catching up to liquid sales across all locations and even surpassing liquid sales in some areas, the team is working to establish&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco/info">Voodoo Brewing Co.</a> as more than just a craft brewery."The food is really picking up steam," said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hass-32666333a/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=voodoo-brewing-co-shifts-focus-to-food-innovation-in-2025-2728759" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Matt Hass</a>, director of marketing at Voodoo Franchise Group. "When we started this whole thing about six years ago, the liquid was what everybody knew us for. It commanded the biggest presence of our product mix. But slowly but surely, the food is starting to catch up to the beer in terms of overall sales percentage. We find that pretty cool."<h2>Core Menu Overhaul</h2>While maintaining their commitment to local customization, Voodoo Brewing Co. plans to focus innovation efforts on their core menu offerings — the dishes available at every location across their growing franchise network."The big changes that we'll see will come in the core menu offerings," Hass said. "The dishes that we want to be at every Voodoo location — those are the ones that we really want to wow with."Each Voodoo Brewing Co. Franchisee has the flexibility to customize up to 25% of their menu to include what the brand calls local flair — menu items directly influenced by the tastes of consumers in that specific market.The company emphasizes delivering innovative, elevated dishes that aren’t available at other brewpub concepts.&nbsp;“Within the context of the brewpub industry, we believe our food to be up there with the best of them,” Hass said. “As we continue to evolve, it will only get better.”<h2>Beer and Food Pairing Focus</h2>One key direction for 2025 is developing menu items specifically designed to complement their beer offerings."We have plans in 2025 to innovate the menu even further and start to offer even more creative dishes that really pair well with our beer and cocktails," Hass said.&nbsp;The company anticipates that in 2025, food may outsell beverages "across the board," marking a significant shift in their business model.<h2>Maintaining Local Identity</h2>Despite the core menu innovations, Voodoo Brewing Co. remains committed to its unique approach of allowing each location to maintain local character through menu customization.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-guzick-jr-595016293/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=voodoo-brewing-co-shifts-focus-to-food-innovation-in-2025-2728759" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Tom Guzick</a>, chief marketing officer of Voodoo Brewing Company &amp; Digital Field Marketing &amp; Brand Standards Manager of Voodoo Franchise Group, emphasizes how this strategy connects with their broader philosophy. "While being a national brand, our focus really is on the owners themselves and trying to tell their story,” he said. “We want them to share why they chose to open this up in their hometown."<h2>Craft Approach to Food</h2>Voodoo Brewing Co. applies the same craft mentality to their food that they've long applied to their beer."We do consider our kitchens to be craft kitchens — in line with the craft beer. We make all our sauces in-house, and all of the recipes are proprietary to us," Hass said. "Craft beer has become such a saturated market at this point... new breweries are opening up at lightning speed, but at the same time, they're closing at lightning speed, too. It's really good for us to have the culinary department to lean on because in a lot of ways at this point, we function more so as a full-service restaurant than a brewpub or a taproom."With these menu innovations, Voodoo Brewing Co. appears positioned to continue its growth trajectory while adapting to changing consumer preferences in the competitive craft brewing landscape.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco">https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Photo of Voodoo Brewing Co. main dishes on wood table

Voodoo Brewing Co. Elevates Food Menu Strategy for 2025

1851 Franchise

As food sales increasingly rival beverage sales, the non-traditional brewpub is focused on continued menu innovation to support revenue growth for Voodoo Brewing Co. Franchisees.

This brand page has been paid for by VOODOO BREWING CO.. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Voodoo Brewing Co. Shifts Focus to Food Innovation in 2025

voodoo-brewing-co-shifts-focus-to-food-innovation-in-2025

FRANCHISE INFORMATION

Check Out Voodoo Brewing Company

Executive Q&A

Franchisee Highlight

Learn

Visit Website

VOODOO BREWING CO.

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

SOCIAL MEDIA

How This Former Engineer Built a Voodoo Brewing Co. That Reflects Both Passion and Precision

Voodoo Brewing Co. Teams Up With Tailgating Challenge To Make Game Day Better

Drink Pink: How Voodoo Brewing Co. Pours Purpose Into Profits This October

VOODOO BREWING CO. MOST READ STORIES

1851 LOGIN

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.

CONTACT VOODOO BREWING CO.

facebook

instagram

twitter

youtube

First Name

Last Name

Email

Phone

State

Questions or Comments

Own a Voodoo Brewing Co.

As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.voodoobrewery.com/about">Voodoo Franchise Group</a> accelerates its national expansion, the brewpub franchise is giving its owners new tools to deepen relationships with guests who already know the brand and its beer best.&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco/info">Voodoo</a> recently launched a new loyalty program designed to drive repeat visits and local engagement across its network of franchised restaurants. The program uses Toast to power in-store rewards and Popmenu to support loyalty in terms of online pickup and delivery (along with built-in text and email marketing capabilities). The new initiative fills a long-standing gap in terms of how the brand connects with its most engaged customers.“I think it’s a direct line to giving back to people who are loyal to our brand” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-ivey-ph-d-371a0618/">Erik Ivey</a>, chief operating officer. “We haven’t done this in the past. But it’s probably the most important thing we can do right now to really engage the guests we know are loyal members.”<h2>Empowering Franchisees to Market Locally</h2>Voodoo’s franchise model has always leaned into flexibility and local ownership. Each location follows core brand standards but features menus, events and programming shaped by its community, empowering owners looking to build deeper connections at the local level. Until now, however, franchisees lacked a simple way to communicate those local experiences directly to the guests who visit most.But the new loyalty program changes that. It gives Voodoo Franchise Group operators a direct line to their customers, equipping them with the ability to promote everything from new menu items to live music and other weekly events.“We like to call ourselves an ‘anti-franchise’ company because we give freedom to franchise owners,” Ivey said. “We have a core menu, plus local flair menus created by chefs in each community. So, every Voodoo franchise is unique to its market because we’re a unique brand.”<h2>Turning Loyalty Data Into Smarter Decisions</h2>While the new loyalty program operates across both Toast and Popmenu, ease of use has led Voodoo more heavily toward the latter as local franchisees get comfortable with the new marketing efforts (particularly those without dedicated marketing teams).Beyond communication though, the loyalty program is also beginning to generate data that franchise owners can use to make better, smarter marketing decisions. Tracking loyalty member growth and engagement now for several months, Voodoo plans to share the insights gleaned systemwide.“If you’re going to spend money on marketing, would you rather market directly to people already engaged with your business — or send it to the general population with a return rate of less than 1%?” Ivey said. “I’d rather have a higher return by going directly to loyalty members.”<h2>A Franchisee-Driven Approach to Innovation</h2>Early feedback from franchise owners has been positive (especially as they experience clearer engagement and are able to exert more control over how each local community is reached). At a broader level, the loyalty program reflects Voodoo’s franchisee-first approach to innovation. After spending the past year visiting every location and gathering feedback directly from local operators, Voodoo corporate identified guest engagement as a priority.“This didn’t come from a magical idea,” Ivey said. “Franchise owners were asking, ‘How do we better engage our communities? How do we get more people through our doors?’ That led us here.”&nbsp;<h2>The Value of Loyalty</h2>Looking ahead, Ivey said the real value of the loyalty program lies in its ability to turn strong in-store experiences into sustained growth across the greater Voodoo franchise system.“If you bring loyalty members back and they have a great experience, they’ll transfer that experience to people who aren’t members yet,” Ivey said. “That creates upward momentum and more loyalty members over time.”For Voodoo and its franchise owners, that momentum is built not through cookie-cutter marketing, but by giving local operators the tools to keep their communities elevated, engaged and coming back.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco">https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco</a>.ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned “liquid gold,” provided directly from the brewery, local owners offer killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With over 20 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. Now, it is on track to quickly grow roots across the nation. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://voodoofranchising.com/">https://voodoofranchising.com/</a>.

Voodoo Brewing Company, Voodoo Franchise Group, Voodoo franchise

Voodoo Brewing Co. Launches New Loyalty Program to Boost Franchise Sales, Aid Customer Retention

voodoo-brewing-co-loyalty-program-launch-franchisee-support

Football season is back, and&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco/info">Voodoo Brewing Co.</a> — the brewpub franchise with 26 locations across multiple states — is kicking it off with a partnership built for fans who take their Saturdays seriously. Back in September,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco/info">Voodoo Brewing Co.</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://tailgating-challenge.com/">Tailgating Challenge</a> launched lil’ vibes as the official beer of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-tailgating-day-first-saturday-in-september">National Tailgating Day</a> — complete with special-edition cans, brewery events and activations timed with some of the biggest college matchups of the season.&nbsp;This collaboration gives franchise owners a new way to plug into local fan culture while giving tailgaters a flavorful, sessionable beer to bring to the lot.<h2>How the Partnership Started</h2>Like many good stories, this one began on Instagram.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukelorick/">Luke Lorick</a>, founder of Tailgating Challenge, first came across Voodoo’s beer after visiting the brand’s Colorado Springs location. “He DM’d on Instagram,” said Chief Marketing Officer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-guzick-jr-595016293/">Tom Guzick</a>. “He said, ‘Hey, you know, I’m interested in maybe doing something with your product … Here’s what I do tailgating-wise. I’ve been to your Colorado space. I love your branding.’”That simple message kicked off a year-long conversation about what a beer-driven tailgate collaboration could look like. “He’d just tried Lacto-Kooler, and we reshared his story,” Guzick said. “He said, ‘If you ever want to collab on a beer for National Tailgating Day, let me know.’”With National Tailgating Day landing on the first Saturday of college football season each year, it felt like a natural fit.<h2>Choosing the Official Beer of Tailgating Season</h2>Once conversations became serious, Voodoo sent Lorick a lineup of products to test at various tailgates. There were some obvious candidates — including Empty Calories, the brand’s light lager — but Luke gravitated toward something a little more flavorful.“We had just created lil’ vibes this year as the counterpart to our good vibes West Coast IPA," Guzick said. "It has the same big flavor as good vibes, but only 4.3% ABV.”lil’ vibes became the perfect match: a session IPA built for long days, big crowds and hot grills. Voodoo Brewing Co. created a run of limited-edition lil’ vibes cans featuring Tailgating Challenge’s logo as a “hidden Easter egg” and shipped them to markets with strong fan bases and active Tailgating Challenge events.<h2>Launching the Collaboration</h2>The campaign officially launched in early September, coinciding with the first weeks of the college football season. The Tailgating Challenge celebrated National Tailgating Day in Oklahoma and is hosting events in Colorado, Texas and South Carolina throughout the season.Voodoo has already shipped special lil’ vibes cans to these markets where it distributes and the team at Tailgate Challenge even took some to Oklahoma to support its tailgate, even though Voodoo does not currently distribute there.&nbsp;&nbsp;The partnership even sparked ideas for future years, including a possible full custom label rollout for the 2026 season.<h2>What This Means for Voodoo Franchise Owners</h2>For franchise owners, the partnership creates a new entry point into football culture — one of the most passionate, reliable, and social consumer groups in the country.“It gives them opportunities to market lil’ vibes as the official tailgating beer,” Guzick said. “It gives them ways to connect with Luke and his whole community … especially those with big college football programs nearby.”<h2>What’s Next</h2>Both teams see this first season as the foundation for something bigger.“This was the best way we could get it into our lineup,” Guzick said. “Start small, see what the market says, and grow from there.”With Luke traveling to games across the country, Voodoo selling out of special cans in select markets, and franchise owners leaning into the excitement, the partnership has already shown how far a good idea — and a great beer — can go.For now, tailgaters everywhere can toast the season with lil’ vibes, the official beer of National Tailgating Day, and maybe the start of a long-running football tradition.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco">https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco</a>.

voodoo-brewing-tailgating-challenge-lil-vibes

Voodoo Brewing October Drink Pink cocktail

drink-pink-how-voodoo-brewing-co-pours-purpose-into-profits-this-october

image of voodoo brewing franchise food fall options

Flavor That Falls Into Place: Voodoo Brewing’s Bold New Seasonal Menu

voodoo-brewing-fall-menu-refresh-oktoberfest

MEADVILLE, Pa.&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://www.voodoobrewery.com/">Voodoo Brewing Co.</a> is wrapping up a momentous year marked by substantial expansion, operational improvements and deeper engagement. The craft beer brand ended 2025 with 27 locations nationwide, up from 21 at the start of the year. Reflecting on the growth, Chief Operating Officer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-ivey-ph-d-371a0618/">Erik Ivey</a> said the company approached 2025 with a clear plan to strengthen both relationships and operational foundations.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We came up with a game plan at the beginning of the year to embed ourselves in building relationships, first and foremost with our franchise owners, listening to them, understanding what was going well, what wasn’t and what we needed to do differently,” Ivey said. “We also wanted to listen to our communities and understand how we could improve for them. By the end of 2025, we’d built relationships, redesigned our model, opened quite a few locations, rewarded loyalty and moved in the right direction.”In 2025,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco/info">Voodoo</a> launched a loyalty program designed to deepen guest engagement while supporting franchisees in marketing directly to their communities.“It allows us to tell our story to loyalty members, provide offers and engage guests more meaningfully,” Ivey said. “It also attracts more loyalty members.”This year, the company supported franchise owners with training and marketing tools through Popmenu, a platform that streamlines communication with loyalty members and provides actionable data and insights.Voodoo also focused on optimizing its economic model. Underperforming locations were evaluated and supported, resulting in a substantial increase in average unit volume. New openings across smaller communities — including Sneads Ferry, North Carolina; Delafield, Wisconsin; Toledo, Ohio; and Lexington, South Carolina — exceeded expectations, attracting elevated local engagement from the start.Looking ahead to 2026, Voodoo plans to further expand its focus on hospitality and support for Voodoo franchisees. The company will further elevate the guest experience both in-house and through community engagement while providing franchise owners with more tools, resources and continuous support.&nbsp;“We’re emphasizing hospitality in three areas: back-of-house execution, front-of-house guest experience and community engagement outside the four walls,” Ivey said. “We’re focused on making it easier for Voodoo franchisees and guests alike.”&nbsp;By listening to franchise owners and engaging directly at the local level, Voodoo has positioned itself for continued growth (while maintaining the uniquely elevated, community-oriented identity that differentiates the brand in the competitive craft beer and restaurant industry).As 2026 approaches, Voodoo Franchise Group is prepared to continue its expansion trajectory. The new year will also see a focus on innovation and operational excellence. Voodoo will build on last year’s momentum with a focus on improving the guest experience and community connection driven by great beer at each local establishment.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco">https://1851franchise.com/voodoobrewingco</a>.ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned “liquid gold,” provided directly from the brewery, local owners offer killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With over 20 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. Now, it is on track to quickly grow roots across the nation. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://voodoofranchising.com/">https://voodoofranchising.com/</a>.

Voodoo Brewing Co. Grows Its Footprint by Nearly 30% in 2025, Setting the Stage for an Elevated 2026

voodoo-brewing-co-grows-its-footprint-by-nearly-30-in-2025-setting-the-stage-for-an-elevated-2026

Voodoo Brewing Co. Shifts Focus to Food Innovation in 2025

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS