Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee

About Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee is a premium mobile beverage franchise that brings an elevated coffee shop experience directly to the customer. Launched by the visionary team behind Kona Ice—the world’s largest mobile food franchise—Travelin’ Tom’s leverages a proven, high-growth business model to dominate the mobile coffee space. Operating out of the state-of-the-art "Beverage Entertainment Vehicle" (BEV), Travelin' Tom's serves a sophisticated menu of gourmet hot, iced, and frozen coffees, alongside signature items like tea, lemonade, matcha, and Refreshers. By removing the constraints of traditional brick-and-mortar locations, our franchisees enjoy the flexibility to meet demand wherever it is, from corporate offices and schools to major community events.

What makes Travelin’ Tom’s most attractive to entrepreneurs is its "business in a box" approach, specifically designed for a quick and successful launch. Franchisees benefit from a fixed royalty structure and a world-class corporate support system. The company provides an intensive three-day training program at Tom’s Academy, covering everything from precision drink-making to advanced truck maintenance. Beyond the initial launch, operators are backed by an in-house creative team that manages high-impact digital marketing, SEO, and national PR to keep their inboxes full of bookings. For those seeking a turnkey opportunity with a respected brand, unmatched product innovation, and a community-focused mission, Travelin’ Tom’s is positioned to help aspiring business owners hit the road successfully.

Franchise Growth & Expansion

This franchise brand has experienced exceptional growth over the past several years, establishing itself as one of the fastest-growing concepts in its category. Beginning with a small operational footprint, the system has expanded rapidly through franchising, demonstrating strong market demand and a scalable business model.

By 2024, the franchise network had grown to 261 total operating units, reflecting significant year-over-year expansion and increasing brand presence across multiple markets. The system added 124 new units in 2024 alone, highlighting strong franchisee interest and continued momentum for future growth.

The brand's development trajectory showcases a proven ability to attract qualified franchise partners while successfully supporting new location openings. With a predominantly franchised network and limited company-owned locations, the organization is focused on franchise-driven expansion and long-term market penetration.

Franchise Highlights

• 261 Total Operating Units
• 124 New Units Opened in 2024
• Rapid year-over-year franchise growth
• Proven and scalable franchise model
• Strong franchisee demand and expansion momentum
• Growing presence across multiple territories and markets

The substantial increase in franchise locations over the last five years demonstrates the strength of the brand, the effectiveness of its support systems, and the confidence franchisees have in the opportunity. This continued growth positions the franchise for ongoing expansion and long-term success.

Why Choose Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee?

Choosing Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee means joining a brand built on the gold standard of mobile franchising. As the sister company to Kona Ice, Travelin' Tom's utilizes a battle-tested infrastructure to help entrepreneurs bypass the typical hurdles of small business ownership. The brand operates on a "business for yourself, but not by yourself" philosophy that prioritizes franchisee growth through a fixed-cost model and a high-demand product suite.

Key Competitive Advantages:

• The Kona Ice Pedigree: Travelin’ Tom’s is backed by the world’s largest mobile food truck system. Franchisees benefit from decades of operational expertise, massive brand recognition, and a proven roadmap for success.
• Fixed Royalty Structure: Unlike most franchises that take a percentage of hard-earned gross sales, Travelin’ Tom’s implements a fixed royalty system. This ensures that owners are not penalized for their success, allowing them to keep more of their profits as they scale.
• Unrivaled Marketing Power: Franchisees do not need to be marketing experts to succeed. An in-house creative team manages SEO, social media, and national PR. The corporate office invests hundreds of thousands of dollars into targeted digital ads designed to drive inquiries and bookings directly to the franchisee.
• Tom’s Academy Training: An intensive 3-day onboarding program at corporate headquarters covers everything from beverage chemistry and truck maintenance to local sales strategies, ensuring operators are fully prepared to hit the road on day one.
• Constant Product Innovation: In-house developers continually refresh the menu with trending items like Nitro™ Cold Brew and seasonal Refreshers, ensuring the truck remains a year-round destination for customers.

Whether seeking a career change or a scalable investment, entrepreneurs find that Travelin' Tom's offers an incredibly quick startup process and a supportive community of veteran mentors to guide the journey.

Training & Support

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee is committed to the philosophy that franchisees should go into business for themselves, but never by themselves. The journey begins with Tom’s Academy, an intensive 3-to-4-day training program held at the corporate headquarters. This immersive experience is designed to eliminate the intimidation of starting a new venture by providing hands-on instruction in every facet of the business.

The Initial Training Program includes:

• Beverage Mastery: Extensive training on the full menu including precision drink-making.
  Operational Excellence: Hands-on training on the "Beverage Entertainment Vehicle" (BEV), covering truck maintenance, safety courses, and troubleshooting.
• Marketing & Sales: Guidance on local marketing strategies, digital setup, and techniques for booking high-value events.
• Mentorship: One-on-one advice and coaching from veteran franchisees.
• Ongoing Support for Continued Success: Beyond the initial launch, the brand provides a robust support ecosystem to ensure long-term growth. Franchisees have access to a dedicated PR team for local press, a proprietary operations software suite, and an in-house design team for custom marketing materials. Continuous education is provided through bi-weekly newsletters ("Tom’s Tuesday"), video tutorials, and an annual convention. Additionally, a dedicated corporate team manages national SEO and Google Ad campaigns to drive leads directly to the franchisee, allowing the owner to focus on building community relationships and serving premium beverages.

History

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee was born from the innovative spirit of Tony Lamb and the leadership team behind Kona Ice, the world’s largest mobile food franchise. After revolutionizing the shaved ice industry and building a network of over 2,000 trucks, the team identified a significant gap in the market: the need for a premium, high-capacity mobile coffee experience. Leveraging over a decade of expertise in mobile franchising, proprietary vehicle engineering, and community-driven marketing, Travelin’ Tom’s was launched to bring the same level of joy and efficiency to the coffee industry that its predecessor brought to the frozen dessert world.

Since its inception, the brand has seen rapid growth, fueled by the established infrastructure of its parent company and a menu that caters to all seasons. By utilizing the "Beverage Entertainment Vehicle" (BEV), the brand successfully transitioned from a concept to a national presence, providing entrepreneurs with a turnkey entry into the multi-billion dollar coffee market. The vision for Travelin’ Tom’s remains focused on continuous innovation and franchisee empowerment. With a dedicated team of in-house product developers and a relentless commitment to technological and operational upgrades, the brand is positioned to remain a dominant force in the mobile space for years to come.

Ideal Candidate

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee is seeking community-minded individuals who are passionate about delivering a premium experience and building local connections. While prior experience in the coffee industry is not a requirement, the most successful franchisees possess a combination of high energy, professional integrity, and a drive for growth.

The brand looks for candidates who embody the following attributes:

• Outgoing and Personable: As a mobile business, the franchisee is the face of the brand. Ideal candidates enjoy engaging with the public, networking with local business leaders, and creating a fun, welcoming atmosphere at events.
• Interest in Sales and Networking: Success in this model is driven by community involvement. The company seeks individuals who are comfortable reaching out to schools, youth sports organizations, and corporate HR departments to book events and daily stops.
• Operational Mindset: Candidates should be organized and capable of managing the day-to-day logistics of a mobile unit, including inventory management, basic truck maintenance, and team leadership.
• Commitment to Excellence: Whether it is crafting the perfect Nitro Cold Brew or maintaining a spotless "Beverage Entertainment Vehicle," the ideal owner takes pride in delivering a high-quality product and consistent customer service.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Travelin' Tom's is perfect for those who want to be active in their business and take advantage of a scalable model backed by a world-class support system.

Whether coming from a corporate background, military service, or a previous entrepreneurial venture, the ideal candidate is someone ready to follow a proven system while bringing their own local passion to the brand.