How much does a Kona Ice franchise cost?
Opening a Kona Ice franchise takes a total initial investment of $114,730 to $228,601, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
Kona Ice franchises Kona Ice Businesses. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Kona Ice franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $114,730 to $228,601. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are KEV and Installed Equipment ($87,365 to $157,491), Initial Inventory ($9,975 to $11,735), and KEV Delivery ($0 to $10,000). Together they make up about 78% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $15,000, about 13% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $15,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| KEV and Installed Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $87,365 | $157,491 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Training Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $140 | $950 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| KEV Delivery2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $0 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| KEV Compliance Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $0 | $7,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| KEV Insurance for 3 Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $1,000 | $2,100 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Tax, Title, and Licensing of KEV2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $1,000 | $8,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Initial Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $9,975 | $11,735 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Optional Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $0 | $225 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Permits and Licenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $250 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Real Estate or KEV Storage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 | $0 | $4,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 |
| Computer System and Software2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 | $0 | $1,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 |
| Additional Funds – 3 Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 | $0 | $9,600 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 | $114,730 | $228,601 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20 |
Source Kona Ice, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 20, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Kona Ice franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet.
Source Kona Ice, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 52, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Kona Ice outlets there are, and how many closed
Kona Ice ended 2025 with 1,929 franchised outlets and 4 company-owned outlets. In that year 140 franchised outlets opened and 27 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Kona Ice opened 531 franchised outlets and 67 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 453, from 1,476 to 1,929 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 67 closed for other reasons. Those openings and departures do not add up to that change, because the FDD's own Item 20 row for 2023 does not add up either. We publish the franchisor's figures exactly as printed; see the note under the table below.
On average, about 1.4% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 74.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,816 | 140 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1,929 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 61 |
| 2024 | 1,670 | 182 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1,816 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 61 |
| 2023 | 1,476 | 209 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1,6701 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 61 |
Source Kona Ice, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 52, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Kona Ice compares with other Food & Beverage franchises
Measured against the 256 Food & Beverage franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Kona Ice's estimated range is $171,666. It costs less to open than 95% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 1.4% for Kona Ice. That is lower than 87% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Kona Ice's franchised system grew 31%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 4.4%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Kona Ice is not one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Food & Beverage franchise side by side.
Alert me when Kona Ice files a new FDD
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