Join the #1 mobile business with Kona Ice! Low overhead, high margins, and a community-loved brand that brings the party to every stop.
Restaurant and Food, Home Based Franchises
About Kona Ice
Kona Ice is the world’s largest food truck company and an industry leader in franchisee satisfaction, ranking #1 by Franchise Business Review for over a decade. Since 2007, the brand has redefined the mobile food industry by blending a "be your own boss" business model with a deep commitment to community, donating over $200 million to local organizations. Kona Ice's success is built on a recession-proof model featuring extremely low overhead (averaging 6% food costs) and the iconic Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV). This "mobile billboard" features their patented Flavorwave for an interactive experience, creating a memorable service that appeals to schools, sports leagues, and corporate clients alike.
2008 (18 years)
4
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Franchise Fees
$15,000
0.0%
Fixed Annual Fee
0.0%
Fixed Fee
Why Kona Ice?
Choosing Kona Ice means joining a proven, award-winning system that has led the industry in franchisee satisfaction for over ten years. Kona Ice offers a unique combination of high-margin potential, low operational complexity, and a brand identity that communities genuinely love.
What Sets Kona Ice Apart:
- Industry-Leading Margins: Enjoy incredibly low overhead with food costs averaging just 6%, compared to the 32% industry average. With no real estate expenses and a fixed royalty structure, you keep more of what you earn.
- Proven Stability & Growth: Founded in 2007, Kona Ice is a well-established global brand with over 2,000 trucks on the road. The success is contagious: roughly 75% of franchisees expand to a second unit within their first two years.
- The KEV Advantage: The patented Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV) is a state-of-the-art mobile billboard. With the self-serve Flavorwave, tropical music, and NSF certification, the truck practically sells itself.
- World-Class Support: From an immersive Kona Kollege training program to the full-service in-house marketing team, business owners are never alone. The Corporate office handle the digital ads, social media, and SEO so you can focus on building local relationships.
- Community Impact: Kona is more than just selling shaved ice; they give back. Having donated over $200 million to local causes, franchisees enjoy a "recession-proof" reputation as a vital community partner.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal Kona Ice business owner is a community champion with a passion for people. The brand seeks energetic, hardworking individuals who are motivated to be their own boss while making a tangible, positive impact on their local communities.
Key attributes of successful operators include:
- A "Community-First" Heart: Since giving back is the core identity of the brand, successful candidates are those excited about partnering with schools, youth sports leagues, and local charities to facilitate fundraising.
- Exceptional Interpersonal Skills: Franchisees are in the business of creating "micro-vacations." A positive, outgoing personality is essential for interacting with everyone from excited children at a daycare to professional corporate event planners.
- Proactive Entrepreneurial Spirit: While Kona Ice provides a proven blueprint, the most successful owners are those who actively run the play. They are driven to book events, manage their protected territories, and build a local contact database.
- Appreciation for Operational Simplicity: This model is a perfect fit for individuals who desire a business with low complexity. Candidates who prefer minimal staffing requirements and want to avoid the overhead and headaches of traditional real estate will find this model highly rewarding.
- Growth-Oriented Vision: With a high percentage of owners expanding to multiple units within two years, the brand thrives with candidates who have the ambition to scale their business from a single truck into a fleet of KEVs, Minis, and Trailers.
Whether they are military veterans, former corporate executives, or family teams, successful Kona Ice franchisees are those dedicated to the mission of "doing good" while building a fun, sustainable business.
$102,365 - $226,841
$20,000
$100,000
Testimonials
"Franchise Business Review has been researching Kona Ice for over a decade, and Kona's franchise owner satisfaction is among the highest in the franchise sector." - Eric Stiles, CEO of Franchise Business Review
“The corporate team really gives you everything you need to be successful. The blueprint is there. As far as the business is concerned, what really drew me in was the low barrier to entry. You’re buying an actual asset—a truck—and the business is built around the effort you put into it.” — Garvin Wong, Franchisee in Santa Clarita, CA
“It’s a huge success. We’ve had partners in tears telling us, ‘We can’t raise this kind of money on our own.’ Being able to do something for the community that they can’t do for themselves is incredibly powerful.” — Linnea Weikleenget, Franchisee in Jackson, MS
