1851

FLORENCE, KY —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-lamb-81a158202?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Tony Lamb</a>, the visionary entrepreneur behind&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kona-ice.com/shaved-ice-franchise/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Kona Ice</a>, the shaved ice franchise, has done it again. After revolutionizing the food truck industry with Kona Ice, Lamb and his team of corporate staff have expanded his mobile business empire by founding&nbsp;<a href="https://travelintomscoffee.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck</a>, offering a fresh, mobile twist on coffee. Launched in 2020, Travelin' Tom's is already making waves, with 200 franchised trucks on the road and over 200+ reservations for future trucks.Lamb, who started Kona Ice in 2007 after a disappointing experience with an ice cream truck left his daughter upset, set out to change the mobile food space. “I remember sitting in my office with a designer, working on the original Kona truck,” Lamb said. “We were dreaming big, but I never expected Kona Ice to grow into what it is today.” With more than 1,900 trucks operating in 49 states and Canada, Kona Ice is the world’s largest food truck franchise.Leveraging the lessons learned from Kona Ice, Lamb saw an opportunity to bring those learnings to another space — mobile coffee. “It wasn’t just about creating another food truck,” Lamb said. “We knew we had a scalable, repeatable system that could work across other concepts, and coffee was a natural next step.” Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck brings a one-of-a-kind premium mobile beverage experience directly to you, offering our wide array of beverages for any occasion. Whether you're craving a signature Nitro Cold Brew, a Caramel Frappe or a fruity Refresher, Travelin' Tom's has something for everyone — even non-coffee drinkers, with options like hot chocolates, energy drinks, lemonades and teas. Perfect for corporate events, school functions, neighborhood block parties or large festivals, Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck delivers caffeination and refreshment with a personal touch.Lamb shared his excitement for the growth of Travelin' Tom's, saying, “We rolled out the first prototype in 2020, right in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had the infrastructure and know-how from Kona, and within just a few months, we had our first Travelin' Tom's trucks on the road.”Kona Ice’s meteoric rise can be attributed to Lamb’s relentless focus on the business model’s three essential factors: cost, service speed and product quality. “The key to success in the mobile industry is engineering a business that works efficiently. For both Kona and Travelin' Tom's, we focused on getting the truck costs right, ensuring quick service and delivering quality at a price point that works,” said Lamb.Travelin' Tom's isn’t just following Kona’s blueprint — it’s evolving. “We’re already seeing some trucks gross more than Kona trucks,” said Lamb. “The demand for high-quality, mobile coffee is real, and we’re ready to meet it head-on.”Kona Ice’s accolades speak volumes to Lamb’s ability to craft a winning franchise. The company has been recognized on Entrepreneur Magazine’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/directory/kona-ice/334197?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Franchise 500 list</a> for over a decade, regularly named among&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/directory/fastest-growing-ranking?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the top 25 fastest-growing franchises</a> and has earned top spots in Franchise Business Review’s rankings for&nbsp;<a href="https://franchisebusinessreview.com/top-franchises/kona-ice/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">franchisee satisfaction</a> for 12 consecutive years.“We’ve created a support system that allows franchisees to thrive,” Lamb said. “And we’re doing the same thing with Travelin' Tom's. We’re ready to take the mobile coffee industry by storm. When you can show up and serve hundreds of people in minutes and not hours… it’s a revolution!”As Lamb gears up for the next chapter with Travelin' Tom's, he remains passionate about innovation and growth. “We’ve got another concept already in the works,” Lamb said. “The opportunities in the mobile space are endless, and we’ve only just begun.”For more information on Travelin' Tom's, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://travelintomscoffee.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://travelintomscoffee.com/</a>.About Travelin’ TomsFounded in 2020 by Tony Lamb, the visionary behind Kona Ice, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck delivers a unique, mobile beverage experience to events and gatherings of all sizes. Offering a wide range of freshly made, customizable beverages—including signature Nitro Cold Brew, Caramel Frappe, hot chocolates, energy drinks, and more—Travelin' Tom's caters to coffee lovers and non-coffee drinkers alike. With a commitment to quality and convenience, the franchise continues to grow rapidly, bringing caffeination inspiration and fruity refreshment to communities nationwide. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.travelintoms.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.travelintoms.com.</a>About Kona Ice Founded in 2007 by Tony Lamb, Kona Ice launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV) in Florence, Kentucky, offering a unique combination of cleanliness, friendliness, and a one-of-a-kind experience. Today, Kona Ice has grown to more than 1,700 mobile units that serve 49 states across the country. Kona Ice has been named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list for 11 consecutive years, earning a spot on the Franchise 500 Hall of Fame, and most recently being named #1 in the “Frozen Desserts” and “Ice Cream” categories. In addition, Kona was named to the Franchise Business Review Top 200 list in the overall “Top 50” and “Enterprise” categories. Other accolades include being named a “Top 100 Most Innovative Franchise” by Franchise Business Review and a “Top Franchise for Veterans.” With a commitment to giving back, Kona Ice has donated over $185 million to communities nationwide. For more on Kona Ice, visit the brand’s online Newsroom and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest news. For more information about booking Kona Ice for a fundraiser or event, visit<a href="http://www.kona-ice.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">&nbsp;www.kona-ice.com</a>. To learn more about available franchise opportunities, visit<a href="http://www.ownakona.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck-2727460" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">&nbsp;www.ownakona.com</a> or call (800) KONAICE. &nbsp;

Kona Ice Founder Launches Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck | Mobile Coffee Franchise

1851 Franchise

Tony Lamb, the founder of Kona Ice, the world's largest food truck franchise, is expanding his mobile business empire with Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck, bringing a fresh twist to the coffee industry.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Kona Ice Founder Starts New Concept: Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck

kona-ice-founder-starts-new-concept-travelin-toms-coffee-truck

Jollibee

Design with Peter Wright headshot and photo of Jollibee fries

Peter Wright Joins Jollibee as Vice President of Franchising to Lead U.S. Expansion

franchise-growth-peter-wright

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of home inspectors speaking with another person outside of HomeTeam Inspection Service vehicle

From Inquiry to Ownership: How HomeTeam Inspection Service Paves a Clear Path to Franchising

hometeam-franchise-path-to-ownership

Mellow Mushroom

Art and Economics: How Mellow Mushroom’s Local Commitment Helped Secure Franchise Times Top 400 Spot

mellow-mushroom-franchise-times-400-rank-growth

Sola Salons

Photo of interior of Sola Salons location

How Much Can I Make as a Sola Salons Franchise Owner?

franchise-earnings

SweatHouz

Memberships That Matter: SweatHouz’s Recurring Revenue Model Explained

sweathouz-recurring-revenue-model

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Authority Brands Enters Q4 with Record Momentum

Authority Brands Enters Q4 with Record Momentum, Surpassing 200 New Franchise Owners in the First 10 Months of 2025

authority-brands-enters-q4-with-record-momentum-surpassing-200-new-franchise-owners-in-the-first-10-months-of-2025

Franchises, work-life balance, millennials in franchising, millennials work-life balance

The Best Franchises for Millennials Wanting Work-Life Balance

best-franchises-millennials-work-life-balance

Photo of Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza franchisee Lily Wilford

Entrepreneur: This 18-Year-Old Saves Babysitting Money for College — Then Decided to Buy a Business Instead

18-year-old-franchise-owner-lily-wilford

Amazon outage, AWS outage, Amazon AWS logo

The Day the Cloud Stalled: How Amazon's Outage Impacted Franchise Economy

amazon-aws-outage-franchise-impact-travel-dining-failure

Thursday 1851 Franchise Agg - NASAA’s Noncompete Push

NASAA’s Noncompete Push Puts Franchise Growth on Uncertain Ground

franchise-noncompete-nasaa-advisory-reasonableness-standard

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

image of michael panos and michel panos, owners of mellow mushroom in Atlanta

The Panos Family’s Role in Preserving Mellow Mushroom’s Character — and Expanding in Atlanta

mellow-mushroom-franchise-panos-restaurant-group-metro-atlanta

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

Graphic with arm, holding graduation cap, coming out of stack of books

Kona Ice Founder Starts New Concept: Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS