Kona Ice

About

Here at Kona Ice, we know why we’ve succeeded and reached these ranks of the #1 New Franchise (Entrepreneur Magazine 2013), top in Franchisee Satisfaction (Franchise Business Review and Franchise Update), #1 in Category (Dessert Franchise in Entrepreneur Magazine) and made the Fastest Growing List for the past five years. We don’t think it’s luck at all. It’s the combination of a fresh concept, strong corporate support with a vision, and a desire to make the world a better place.

So you may be knee deep in the franchising process with tons of questions, but we have just one for you. Why not Kona Ice?

REASONS WHY KONA ICE IS DIFFERENT

1. Proprietary Nutritional Product: Through Kreations Flavoring, we provide a product that meets all of the federal nutritional standards for schools.
2. Ancillary Equipment: You can customize your business model with the three additional products we offer - the Kona Kiosk, the Kona Mini and the Kona Trailer.
3. Patented Flavorwave: With our patented Flavorwave, we provide a unique, self-service experience.
4. Unmatched Corporate Support: You want proof? Highest in franchisee satisfaction with two different agencies since we’ve started. Hear it from our franchisees with testimonials on our website.
5. Established Brand: With 8 years in the industry and representation all across the country, and even internationally, Kona Ice is a well-developed and respected brand.
6. Extremely Quick Startup: We’ll have you up and running in 30-60 days, guaranteed.
7. Fixed Royalty: No penalties for succeeding.
8. Incredibly Low Overhead: Approximately 6% food cost in an industry with an average of 32%.
9. Community Involvement: With over $40 million given back, our communities have embraced us as the best fundraising tool around.

CORPORATE SUPPORT & MARKETING

At Kona Ice, we believe you should go into business for yourself, but not by yourself.

QUICK & EASY STARTUP
We pride ourselves on our franchising process. When you decide you want to start your own business, we understand that you don't want to wait years to make that dream a reality. We can guarantee that we’ll have you in business, generating revenue within 30-60 days of your deposit.

The Kona Experience is not just for our customers. We strive to create a one-of-a-kind experience for our franchisees too. And that all begins at Kona Kollege.

KONA KOLLEGE
Your Kona Ice journey begins with an all expense paid trip to the training program at the Kona Corporate Headquarters. You’ll gain firsthand knowledge in the following:

• Marketing strategies from our corporate marketing team
• Day-to-day operations from one of the largest franchises, which is housed at corporate
• Meet your support staff
• Initial setup of your business & digital marketing
• No holds barred Q&A with the owner & CEO, Tony Lamb
• Hands-on training on your brand new Kona Ice truck, including a test drive on our safety course
• One-on-one training and advice from several veteran franchisees

You’ll graduate from Kona Kollege with a 30 day plan that will have you primed and ready for success. On top of your startup plan, you will be set up for multiple follow up calls throughout your first year to ensure a smooth and successful start to your business!

PATENTED FLAVORWAVE
Everyone’s favorite feature of the Kona Ice truck is the ability to load up on tropical flavors to their heart’s content. In a day and age where self-serve dessert is all the rage, Kona has taken that step for the mobile shaved ice industry with our patented FLAVORWAVE.

MARKETING
Kona Ice has a full time marketing team of graphic designers, digital marketers, copywriters and videographers. You focus on building your contact database, as corporate provides:

• Professionally designed email advertising to targeted markets
• Slick and creative direct mail and leave-behind materials to close sales
• Kona-branded giveaways and merchandise to promote the brand
• Individual mini websites for franchisees as part of our Find A Kona feature
• Social media assistance accompanied by daily posts and yearly campaigns
• Corporate website that speaks to all areas of the Kona business
• Location-based searching to direct customers to local operators
• Dedicated web developers who manage website SEO & a massive national Google AdWords campaign
• Corporate run social media contests & campaigns to promote brand awareness and engage your customers

“I think the vision Tony has for Kona is very exciting. So it allows us on a local level to really promote a brand that we believe in.” - Linnea Weikleenget, franchisee in Jackson, MS

APPS
ISLAND RUSH
Rush through the island of Gooba Jooba with none other than Kona the Penguin. With fun gameplay, branded content and tangible rewards, your customers will love that they get to interact with Kona Ice in this unique way. Check out Island Rush on the App Store and Google Play Store.

KONA ICE READER APP
Ever wonder how a penguin like Kona made it to the tropical island of Gooba Jooba? Well wonder no more! Listen as the narrator takes you through the story of Kona’s journey. Great for kids four and up, it’s a reader app that allows them to read along. There’s a few hidden games in there as well!

KONOLOGY: the business of shaved ice
We place a great deal of our time and resources on the continuing education of our franchisees. If every franchisee had the same information as our most successful franchisee, then everyone has the potential to succeed. We cover such topics as:

• Truckology
• New Employee Orientation
• Online Marketing
• Equipment
• Customer Service
• Fielding Phone Calls
• Gathering Information
• Safety
• Hiring
• Mixology
• Organizing Your KEV
• Pricing Information

ADDITIONAL KONA SUPPORT

• Annual Kona Konvention
• Veteran franchisee coaching & mentoring
• Online forum where franchisees share ideas & techniques
• On demand support for day to day operations
• Custom signage for your KEV
• Dedicated PR company constantly pushing to get you local press
• Video tutorials
• Initial marketing push

BUSINESS MODEL

We sell shaved ice, but that’s not what we’re all about. Company-wide, we’ve given back and raised over $40 million dollars to communities and organizations all across the country since our inception in 2007. It’s more a part of who we are than any other aspect of our brand. It is how we operate. Giving back is who we are, selling the world’s most incredible shaved ice is what we do.

One of the best things about Kona Ice is that the business model is simple. The brand works for you, not the other way around. Our goal at corporate is to make your Kona Ice experience as enjoyable and stress-free as eating a cup of shaved ice!

MEET THE KEV: The Kona Entertainment Vehicle
Having built 800 of these wonderful trucks, Kona Ice has perfected the KEV. This state-of-the-art truck is literally a mobile billboard for your business - it sells itself!

• Drives in anywhere, anytime, fully equipped to serve thousands per day
• Patented FLAVORWAVE for self-serve flavor dispensing
• Choose from an endless variety of exotic flavor combinations
• Tropical music rocks from the BOSE enhanced sound system
• First mobile food truck to be completely NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) approved

ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT: Year Round Opportunities
We’re not just a shaved ice truck - we have units of every size for any venue. Once you own a Kona truck, you will have access to:

• The Kona Mini: The most popular ancillary unit is a smaller, more agile version of the KEV. It’s designed for indoor events and smaller outdoor venues. It’s a low-risk, high-reward investment that can truly make your business last all year.
• The Kona Kiosk: The Kona Kiosk hit the streets in 2015 and has been a huge success. Perfect for semi-permanent venues or large events, the Kona Kiosk can serve the same amount of people as the truck. It’s smaller than a truck, but it has the same visibility and could be the perfect supplement to your Kona business.
• The Kona Trailer: Sometimes you only need the back half of the KEV - and that’s exactly what you’ll get with the Kona Trailer. It’s perfect for large venues where you’ll be established for the majority of your season.
• And coming in 2017, a new unit! Keep an eye out for this brand new addition to the Kona Ice family of equipment.

INCREDIBLY LOW OVERHEAD

• Average of 6% food cost
• No real estate expenses
• Single person operation per unit
• Multi-unit expandability
• Fully contained & completely mobile
• Incredible franchisee buying power

PROTECTED TERRITORY

• Large, protected territories
• No forced expansion
• Territory assigned by zip code(s)
• Promotes working partnerships with neighboring franchisees

ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE
Kona doesn’t just sell gourmet shaved ice, it brings an unforgettable experience that appeals to the kid in all of us!

• Schools reward students with regular Kona visits
• Parents, kids and staff alike say Kona Day is the best day of the week at daycare
• Sports teams and leagues invite Kona to the ballpark whenever there’s a crowd
• Businesses book Kona as a special treat for employees
• Birthday parties, church festivals, block parties and company picnics can all benefit from the Kona Ice experience
• We’re mobile, so really, we can be just about anywhere!

“With Kona, I have put more smiles on kid’s faces and received more genuine thank you’s in 8 months than I ever did in my 25 years in the consumer electronic business.” - Cheri Wells, franchisee in Ventura, CA

KONA GIVES BACK
Ever wonder if you’re making a difference? With Kona Ice, you’ll see it happening right before your very eyes. With over $40 million dollars given back to local communities all across the country, Kona Ice is defined by our community involvement. Because we’re a mobile franchise, this allows you to be directly involved in your community at every touch point.

PROVEN SUCCESS
Ranked the #1 New Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2013 and Highest in Franchisee Satisfaction in 2014 and 2015 by Franchise Business Review, Kona Ice’s reputation is proclaimed as being one of the most innovative brands and “be your own boss” businesses around. In fact, we’ve made the Fastest Growing list the past five years. Kona Ice is thriving all across the map - from New Hampshire to California. And as of 2014, it’s now proven to work in 3 international markets as well. And in addition to that, roughly 75% of franchisees are purchasing a second unit within the first two years.

KREATIONS FLAVORING: A Proprietary Nutritious Product

Who knew shaved ice could be healthy? Kona Ice is redefining dessert, by creating a nutritious and delicious treat. Our constant innovation puts us on a pathway to success. The food and beverage industry is becoming exceedingly harder to excel with the nutrition standards that have been put in place. The innovative and progressive spirit that our company was founded on continues in our search to provide a healthy option for our customers. Through our sister company, Kreations Flavoring, we have worked with flavor scientists to procure a completely proprietary product. From the nutritious base, filled with vitamins and sweetened with all-natural Stevia, to the completely proprietary flavor line we’ve developed that surpasses all other flavors currently available in the market, we believe we have the healthiest and most delicious shaved ice option around! Because we develop our own products, we’re constantly creating new flavors that can only be found with Kona Ice and discovering ways to make our product better for our customers.

• Sweetened with all-natural stevia and pure cane sugar
• Reduced sugar & calories
• Gluten free, fat free, nut free, dairy free, cholesterol free, soy free, no GMO’s, no high fructose corn syrup, no lactose and Kosher-certified
• A brand new, Smart Snack Approved product called Fruit First: contains real fruit as the first ingredient and has 70% less sugar than a regular sno cone
• Vitamin-fortified flavors with our VitaBlend product (stevia + vitamins C & D) 100% juice product
• Sugar free & dye free flavors available

INVESTMENT & FINANCING

LOW COST INVESTMENT

• $15,000 - $30,000 cost investment
• Fixed royalty - a fraction of industry standard
• No paralyzing build out costs

We have pre-arranged financing with a sister company in place specifically for Kona Ice, giving you the opportunity to expand at your own pace.

Kona Ice is the fastest growing mobile franchise in the country. Meeting or exceeding most expectations, franchisee satisfaction is through the roof! Don’t miss this opportunity!

Territories are still available in major markets! Contact us for more information.

What Our Franchisees Are Saying:

We’ve been awarded top in Franchisee Satisfaction, but don’t take it from us, see what our franchisees are actually saying:

“I couldn’t believe how fast I was up and running with my Kona business. It felt like just weeks since my initial phone call to when I was driving my Kona Ice truck away from Kona Kollege completely ready to do business!” - Natasha Pharis

“I would have never imagined that I could practically pay off my entire year’s royalty in one weekend. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of people that love coming up to the truck - there’s always a line. And I never thought I’d be able to do this full time, but after just a year in the business, I was able to make Kona my full time job.” - Megan Stevenson

“As far as Kona is concerned, what really drew me in was the low barrier of entry. There wasn’t a lot of risk, in my opinion. You know, you’re buying a truck. You actually have an asset to work with. And I appreciate that the business is built around the effort you put into it. If you want to put the effort in, you’re going to have a growing business, a profitable business.” - Garvin Wong

“The Kona Ice truck is a wonderful sales tool. It was a lot easier to sell than I had imagined it would be. I have hardly ever had anyone turn me down when I asked them for their business. The truck basically sells itself!” - Charles Love

“The way Kona operates is how every franchise should operate. It’s a truck! So I can work whenever I want to work. I get to wake up every morning and be my own boss. No more 9-5 for me! And best of all, I never have to miss my son’s basketball games ever again.” -  Jon Black

“The fact that we have a nutritious and delicious product that’s fortified with vitamins and meets all the federal guidelines for working in schools has been a game-changer for us. We’re the only vendor that’s allowed to be on school property. That’s huge!” - Lisa Quiroz

“We’ve been Kona franchisees for 6 years now and the ancillary equipment Kona provides has allowed us to expand within our territory. They provide a great return on investment while still keeping the brand.” - Ted & Sandra Andrews

Request more information to hear over 50 franchisee testimonials. We bet you’ll find someone just like you!