• Home:
• News:
• Kona Ice:

Kona Ice Looks Back on 15 Years of Accelerating Beyond the Competition

By: Kona Ice |  1 Shares     609 Reads

World’s Largest Mobile Food Truck Brand in the Restaurant and Snacking Categories Celebrates Major Milestone

June 09, 2022 // Franchising.com // FLORENCE, KY. -  Kona Ice (Kona), the iconic mobile shaved ice brand and largest food truck concept in the world, is gearing up to celebrate its 15th anniversary.

In 2021, Kona reached a monumental 1,400 trucks nationwide, exceeding its ten-year growth projection set in 2012 by 40% and nearly tripling in volume since announcing its 500th truck in 2014. The brand has driven massive success by delivering the signature create-your-own shaved ice experience it is famous for alongside its successful philanthropic mission.

“At this exciting milestone, we are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made both in terms of our development as a brand and in the philanthropic goals we’ve achieved,” said CEO Tony Lamb, who is celebrating the brand’s 15th year anniversary with his Kona Korporate colleagues, franchisees, fans, and vendor partners. “As we reflect on our successes, we know our organization would not be where it is now without our family of franchise owners and strong corporate team who inspire us with their shared passion every day.”

Since its founding, Kona Ice has prioritized innovating and updating its services to both customers and franchisees to provide more opportunities for brand engagement, including cutting-edge technology, new lines of product offerings, and comprehensive training programs. Alongside its mobile application, Kona introduced loyalty programs and enhanced digital communications, including a one-of-a-kind point-of-sales (POS) system. It has also expanded product lines to provide more options for a variety of dietary needs, including Fruit First, Vita-Blend, and its newest vitamin-infused Core line. These innovations are further professionalizing the Kona Ice business model and creating more distinction between the brand and its competition. Kona Kollege, Kona’s signature onboarding program, was uniquely developed to integrate new franchisees and ensure they are thoroughly prepared for success with their new trucks.

At the core of Kona’s outstanding success over the past 15 years has been its network of passionate franchisees, who gather in the first quarter of the year at Kona Konvention - an annual gathering for Kona Ice franchisees and its strong collection of vendor partners. The Konvention offers exciting new learning opportunities to drive business, grow community relationships, and advance business goals, all set against the backdrop of a highly inspiring and entertaining environment. It also allows Kona’s 1,000+ franchisees and corporate team members a chance to connect and share their Kona experience, building even more energy behind the brand. Additionally, Kona has more than 200 franchisees coming up on a 10 year anniversary.

With its ongoing dedication to making a difference in local communities, Kona is proud to announce it has surpassed $100 million in total donations since its founding in 2007. Alongside this philanthropic milestone, Kona Ice was named in Entrepreneur magazine’s “Fastest-Growing” franchise list for the ninth consecutive year in 2022, indicating the soundness of the brand’s business model and investment opportunity. Kona has also received recognition on Entrepreneur’s annual “Franchise 500” list, the most comprehensive ranking of franchisors, and on Franchise Times’ “Top 400” list. Plus, founder and CEO Tony Lamb was awarded the 2021 Cincinnati Business Courier “C-Suite Award,” designating him as one of the region’s highest performing business leaders.

Bringing tropical tunes and cups of shaved ice everywhere it stops, Kona Ice offers its distinctive blend of entertainment and gourmet frozen treats across 49 states. The new year brings new opportunities for entrepreneurially spirited individuals interested in owning a Kona Ice franchise to invest $127,750 - $151,550, which includes working capital and a typical franchise fee of $20,000.

To learn more about Kona Ice, visit: www.kona-ice.com.

For more information about available franchise opportunities, visit: www.ownakona.com.

About Kona Ice

Founded in 2007 by Tony Lamb, Kona Ice launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV) in Florence, Kentucky. Offering a unique combination of cleanliness, friendliness, and a one-of-a-kind experience, the self-serve Flavorwave™ features the opportunity to create your very own shaved ice while enjoying the soothing sights and sounds of the tropics, all while giving back to each and every community Kona Ice serves. Since its inception, Kona Ice has given more than $100 million back to neighborhood schools, organizations, and teams. Today, Kona Ice has grown to more than 1,400 mobile units that serve 49 states across the country.

Kona Ice has been named one of the top eight franchises in the United States by TheStreet.com, ranked on Entrepreneur’s “Fastest-Growing” franchises list multiple years in a row, and has earned many other industry, local, and nationwide awards. For more on Kona Ice, visit the brand’s online Newsroom and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest news.

For more information about booking Kona Ice for a fundraiser or event, visit www.kona-ice.com. To learn more about available franchise opportunities, visit www.ownakona.com or call (800) KONAICE.

SOURCE Kona Ice

###

Media Contact:

Jessica Tcholakov 
All Points PR
Cell: 224-436-1005
jtcholakov@allpointspr.com

Add to Request List Added Request Information

Comments:

comments powered by Disqus