Restaurants

Kona Ice franchise

Mobile shaved-ice franchise with distinct vehicles and equipment formats.

Opening investment: $114,730–$228,601
Worldwide locations: ≥1,933 mobile outlets

Opening costs and fees

$114,730–$228,601

Opening costs vary by format, location and lease terms.

Fee increases have conditions: The marked revision removes wording allowing CPI increases in addition to other increases and limits specified unrelated third-party portions to actual underlying charges. The 8% language is not a cap on every fee.Held v1F issued April 20, 2026; v2F amendment issue date unestablished
Initial Franchise Fee: Initial Franchise Fee: $15,000.
KEV and Installed Equipment: KEV and Installed Equipment: $87,365–$157,491.
Training Expenses: Training Expenses: $140–$950.

Running the business

Managing Owner and designated manager: Managing Owner must hold at least 51% ownership and voting interests and directly supervise day-to-day operations throughout the term. Active owner/operator involvement is required for at least the first 60 days; an approved trained manager may then operate subject to continuing owner supervision.
Initial training: Managing Owner and required manager complete three-part RBU training before opening. Table lists 26 classroom and 30 on-the-job hours; experience can reduce training.
Training costs: One attendee has no training fee and franchisor covers hotel/airfare (fee-deferral-state reimbursement after opening). Extra attendees pay $150 each plus all travel/living costs.
Opening and support: Opening generally takes 2–12 weeks; ongoing operational guidance on reasonable request. System/manual changes may require additional capital.

Revenue and performance

No financial performance representation: Item 19 makes no financial performance representation; limited actual-record exception for an existing outlet. Revenue, profit and owner income remain unknown.
item19 performance: Website: 'Results vary for each franchise and we cannot estimate the revenue, profit, or owner salary for a particular Kona Ice franchise.'

Revenue is sales before expenses, not owner income. Compare matching periods, formats and location samples.

Locations

Existing locations do not establish that a new territory is available. Confirm your market with the franchisor.

Sources and figure notes

Reporting periods and scope

Opening investment

TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT: $114,730–$228,601. Low vehicle estimate assumes used KEV; new KEV component starts at $151,491. Add employee salaries if hiring; business premises/buildout and ordinary office items excluded under residential-operation assumptions. Additional funds includes certain recurring fees; avoid double counting insurance. Low vehicle estimate assumes used KEV; new KEV component starts at $151,491. Add employee salaries if hiring; business premises/buildout and ordinary office items excluded under residential-operation assumptions. Additional funds includes certain recurring fees; avoid double counting insurance. Used/new KEV endpoints differ; employee salary and business premises exclusions remain; additional equipment is conditional.

Worldwide locations

≥1,933 mobile outlets. ≥1,933 · 2025 U.S. mobile-business outlets. 2025 Item 20 total = 1,929 franchised + 4 company outlets; national state table reconciles 1,929 and company stores Kentucky 4. Unit is a franchised mobile Kona Ice business outlet, not a storefront, every KEV/equipment vehicle, franchise owner or service territory. Additional equipment may be operated within a business territory; it is not counted again. 2023 arithmetic/transfer-state footnotes remain historical limitations; 2025 figures reconcile. Transfers, closures and projected unopened agreements are not added. 2025 Item 20 total = 1,929 franchised + 4 company outlets; national state table reconciles 1,929 and company stores Kentucky 4. Unit is a franchised mobile Kona Ice business outlet, not a storefront, every KEV/equipment vehicle, franchise owner or service territory. Additional equipment may be operated within a business territory; it is not counted again. 2023 arithmetic/transfer-state footnotes remain historical limitations; 2025 figures reconcile. Transfers, closures and projected unopened agreements are not added.

Research snapshot: . Sources and methodology

Compare independent startup vs. franchise economics

Compare Kona Ice’s franchise model against starting or buying an independent business in desserts and snacks (line-item CapEx, 0%-royalty owner SDE margins & SBA resale multiples):