 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Tony Lamb |
| Headquarters | Florence, Kentucky, US |
Key people | Tony Lamb (CEO) |
| Website | kona-ice |
Kona Ice is a privately held mobile shaved ice company. [1] [2] [3] The company was founded by Tony Lamb in 2007. [4] Lamb is Kona Ice's CEO. [2] It was named one of the fastest growing franchises in the United States. [4] The company's mascot is an animated penguin named Kona.
In 2007, Tony Lamb founded Kona Ice after deciding that he wanted to build a better ice cream truck. [4] By the end of the year, he had designed and produced five prototypes. [4] Kona Ice began franchising in 2008. [5] In October 2012, the company launched the Kona Mini, a smaller replica of the Kona Ice truck, to sell shaved ice indoors during winter months. [1] [6] [7] [8] Kona Ice was recognized on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list in 2013. [4] The company was also named the top new franchise and rated the 27th fastest growing franchise in the United States. [4]
In 2014, Kona Ice partnered with Northern Kentucky University for an internship program. [2] In April 2015, Kona Ice partnered with Make-A-Wish Foundation. [9] The company has donated $25 million to community-based organizations since its foundation. [10] In May 2014, Kona Ice was named one of the top eight franchises in the United States by TheStreet.com . [11]
Kona Ice is headquartered in Florence, Kentucky. [3] As of March 2015, the company had more than 1000 franchise locations in 43 states and others across Canada. [10] [11] [12] Customers can customize their shaved ice with the Flavorwave, a patented flavor dispenser built into the side of the truck. [4] Kona Ice shaved ice contains 60 percent less sugar than regular sugar water snow cones and can be made of 100 percent fruit juice in participating locations. [12] [13]
The minimum investment amount required to open a Kona Ice franchise is $149,995 and can go all the way up to $189,300. [14] The investor should also allocate additional funds to live off of while the Kona Ice business ramps up. This can take as little as 6 months to over 2 years depending on the franchise opportunity.
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