Land of the Free and Home of Kona Ice
May 23, 2017
Land of the Free and Home of Kona Ice
Iconic, American-Made Mobile Shaved Ice Brand Introduces New Patriotic Cup to Celebrate the American Spirit at Every Stop
FLORENCE, Ky. – This Memorial Day weekend Kona Ice will introduce the most American way to enjoy a shaved-ice treat: a red, white and blue cup displaying the words to the Star-Spangled Banner, the country’s national anthem. The new cup is designed to pay tribute to the founders of the country while celebrating America’s rich tradition of persistence, optimism and pride that has remained throughout the challenges and triumphs of the nation’s history.
Inspired by the hardworking and resilient spirit of the American people, Kona Ice almost exclusively uses American-made products, and the patriotic cup is no exception. The new cup, which features the American flag, will serve as a reminder of the country’s ever-present pride and strength as a nation.
“Here at Kona Ice, we are proud to use American-made products in almost everything we do – from our shaved ice to our trucks, we seek out domestic materials,” said Tony Lamb, founder and CEO of Florence, Kentucky-based Kona Ice. “It’s important to us to support other businesses here in our own country and we do that through buying and selling products that are made right here in the USA by fellow Americans.”
To ensure the brand is using high-quality products made in the United States, Kona Ice created a division of the company, aptly named Kreations Flavoring, to create and produce its proprietary flavors, which customers can use to customize the taste of their shaved ice. The mobile shaved ice trucks now offer more than 20 different flavors, resulting in more than 500 possible flavor combinations.
In addition to the domestically produced flavorings, Kona Ice trucks are also made in the United States. The Kona Entertainment Vehicle, or KEV, starts as a Chevrolet or Ford truck, depending on the model, which are made in Elkhart, Indiana. It then gets outfitted with all the machinery and appliances needed to start shaving ice and making sweet treats. Then it gets decorated with the colorful truck wrap and final touches that make it uniquely identifiable as a Kona Ice truck.
Together with its deeply rooted American loyalty, Kona Ice is committed to the betterment of the country through its community giveback efforts. Fulfilling the responsibility to help fellow Americans and people across the world, Kona Ice has earned a reputation for serving communities across the country through donations and fundraising partnerships. With more than 800 franchises throughout 46 states, Kona Ice has given back more than $40 million since inception in 2007.
As Kona Ice continues to celebrate its nation-wide patriotic initiatives, the brand is also celebrating monumental growth. Moving at a rapid pace, Kona Ice is on track to have 1,000 trucks on the road, carrying on the tradition of community giveback, by the end of 2017.
For more information about available franchise opportunities with Kona Ice, please visit: www.ownakona.com.
About Kona Ice
A true community ally renowned for facilitating endless fundraising options, Kona Ice has given more than $40 million back to neighborhood schools, organizations and teams since its inception in 2007. The brand’s iconic truck offers customers a one-of-a-kind experience, featuring the opportunity to create their own shaved ice on the self-serve Flavorwave™, while enjoying the soothing sights and sounds from the tropics. Currently, there are 800-plus franchise units in more than 45 states.
