Kona Ice

As a child, hearing the chime of the local ice cream truck was a source of pure delight. The anticipation of running down the street and selecting a flavor from the colorful menu was an unforgettable experience.

You can regain some of that childhood enjoyment and start a thriving business by investing in a Kona Ice Franchise.

What is Kona Ice?

Started in 2007 by Tony Lamb, Kona Ice has its corporate headquarters in Florence, Kentucky. Shaved ice happens when ice runs over a blade and is finely shaved. It’s different from chunk, crushed or cubed ice – and not the ice you typically find in a slushie.

Shaving ice allows the flavors to better soak into the ice, providing the customer with the best taste and texture experience. With fruit as the first ingredient, Kona Ice is Smart Snack approved according to the USDA’s standards, making it a perfect, healthy and delicious treat.

How do you start a Kona Ice franchise?

When you become a Kona Ice franchise owner, the startup is quick and easy.

Starting this mobile franchise doesn’t take years. Once you decide to own your own business, you will be contacted by a corporate support team member and enrolled in a three-day, all-expenses-paid Kona Kollege training program where you will receive hands-on training.

Related: Top 15 Home-Based and Mobile Franchises 2023 | Entrepreneur

To be considered, you must have a net worth of at least $50,000 and liquid capital of at least $30,000.

What is the startup cost for a Kona Ice franchise?

This business opportunity involves a minimal initial investment, and advertising costs are kept low with the help of social media. You don't need to take out a second mortgage on any real estate you own or dip into your children’s education savings.

The fact that this is a mobile franchise, which doesn’t require an actual physical store location, provides for a simple business model, helps maintain a low overhead and allows you to bring the entertainment right to your customers for a one-of-a-kind experience.

The initial franchise fee is approximately $15,000, with a total investment including all the necessary equipment and inventory ranging between $150,000 to $190,000.

The royalty fees are as follows:

• Year one to two – $3,000.
• Years three to six – $3,500.
• Years seven to 10 – $4,000.

Does Kona Ice offer franchisees protected territory?

When you sign a Franchise Agreement with Kona Ice, the franchisor usually allows only one license for any area with a population of up to 100,000 people.

This guarantees exclusive rights to a specific area to run their day-to-day operations and helps aid in their success.

Related: Exclusively Yours - Protected Franchise Territories - Entrepreneur.com

What are the vehicle options for Kona Ice franchises?

A few different vehicle options exist when you start a Kona Ice Franchise, ranging from large trucks to self-contained trailers.

The Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV)

When you open a Kona Ice franchise, one of your vehicle options is the Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV). There is also the KEV 2.0, a slightly smaller version of the same vehicle.

These aren’t just any ordinary shaved ice trucks; these trucks are loaded with fun features, from the bright, colorful decals to the head-turning chrome wheels.

They also have a top-notch sound system, allowing you to play tropical steel drum music to transport customers to a warm, tropical getaway while they enjoy their delicious shaved ice treat.

The Kona Mini

The Kona Mini comes into play when the KEV is too large for a particular venue. This adorable little truck has all the same amenities as the KEV in a more compact size.

This allows you to access locations unavailable to the KEV, including:

• Pools
• Sporting events
• Indoor venues

This flexibility is partially responsible for the high degree of franchisee satisfaction among Kona Ice franchisees, as you can conduct business virtually wherever you desire.

The Kiosk

The Kona Kiosk is the best option when the KEV is too large, but the Kona Mini is too small. With its smaller size and unique pop-up top, the Kona Kiosk can serve hundreds of customers per hour and has 10 flavor options.

The Kona Trailer

The Kona Trailer has all the same features as the KEV, minus the truck body.

This option is perfect for more permanent venues such as zoos, amusement parks and campgrounds. It has the same customer capacity as the KEV but a much smaller price tag.

What is the Flavorwave experience?

This is no run-of-the-mill shaved ice truck or standard food truck business. When you pull up, one of your best-selling features is the patented Flavorwave.

The customer simply orders from the truck window and then goes to the self-serve station to choose however many flavors they want. This truly sets any Kona ice truck apart from all the other food franchise opportunities out there.

What are the different size options for Kona Ice products?

There are numerous shaved ice sizes and options available to the customer. Whether at a large venue or a smaller gathering, there is a size and option to fit every customer's needs.

• Kiddie: The smallest size available comes with 9 ounces of shaved ice, perfect for children or anyone looking to try Kona Ice for the first time.
• Klassic: With 12 ounces of shaved ice, this is the perfect size for nearly everyone. It gives the customer enough room to try as many flavors as they desire.
• King: This larger size comes with 16 ounces of shaved ice.
• Kowabunga: This is the largest size, with 22 ounces of shaved ice.
• Color-Changing: This color-changing cup holds 17 ounces of delicious shaved ice.
• Kollectable: The Kollectable cup changes every season and is a great collector’s item. It comes with 22 ounces of shaved ice.

What fundraisers does Kona Ice Conduct?

Since opening in 2007, Kona Ice has raised more than $100 million for local communities and organizations.

Related: Fundraising - Entrepreneur

With fundraising options ranging from pre-paid Kona Cards to donating a portion of their sales to different organizations, Kona Ice loves giving back to their communities.

Just a few of the numerous organizations they fundraise for are:

• Schools.
• Local Sports Teams.
• Band Programs.

Cans for Kona

This fundraising initiative helps raise money for schools by having a canned food drive.

Kona Days

Kona Days is one of the most accessible fundraising options available. Serving up to 500 kids per hour, with the option to hold this fundraiser every month or yearly, this is a great option to raise money for worthwhile events.

Team Up

If your local sports team needs to raise money for new jerseys or to travel to an out-of-town game, then the Team Up fundraiser is for you.

Prepaid Kona Cards

Another excellent fundraising option is Kona Cards. These prepaid cards give $12 worth of Kona Ice for just $10. It’s so simple and convenient that it is the perfect fundraising option.

Testimonials From Kona Ice franchisees

Franchisees had the following to say regarding their franchise experience with Kona Ice:

• 98% of franchisees “agree” or “strongly agree” that they respect their franchisor.
• 99% of franchisees said they are likely to invest in Kona Ice again and would recommend opening a franchise to others.
• 98% of franchisees said they enjoy being part of the organization and operating their business.

Kona Ice is the ideal franchise to look into if you are looking at getting into a business that puts smiles on people's faces, has unlimited venue location options and prides itself on giving back.

If you want to learn more about Kona Ice or other franchise opportunities, check out Entrepreneur’s other articles for more information.