Which costs less to open, Kilwins or Kona Ice Business(es)?

Kilwins: $405,045 – $880,295 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Kona Ice Business(es): $114,730 – $228,601 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Kona Ice Business(es). At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

How do Kilwins and Kona Ice Business(es) royalties compare?

Kilwins: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14); Kona Ice Business(es): $3,000 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.

Which has more locations, Kilwins or Kona Ice Business(es)?

Kilwins: 374 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59); Kona Ice Business(es): 1,933 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Kilwins and Kona Ice Business(es) disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Kilwins has reviewed Item 19 figures for 22 location groups; Kona Ice Business(es) has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Kilwins vs Kona Ice Business(es)

Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

Kilwins2026 FDD KIKona Ice Business(es)2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Kilwins

$405,045 – $880,295

2026 FDD · Item 7

Kona Ice Business(es)

$114,730 – $228,601

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Kilwins

Not available

Kona Ice Business(es)

$15,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

Royalty · Item 6

Kilwins

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

Kona Ice Business(es)

$3,000

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
Kilwins discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
Only Kilwins has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Kilwins

KIKona Ice Business(es)

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Kilwins

$405,045 – $880,295

2026 FDD · Item 7

Kona Ice Business(es)

$114,730 – $228,601

Total estimated initial investment range

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

Kilwins

Not available

No single standard fee identified

Kona Ice Business(es)

$15,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

Royalty (Item 6)

Kilwins

Royalty

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

Kona Ice Business(es)

$3,000

Royalty — years one and two

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

Kilwins

Marketing Contribution — 3% — 3%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

Kona Ice Business(es)

$1,000

Brand Fund contribution

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

System scale & health

Disclosure

Kilwins

KIKona Ice Business(es)

Total outlets (Item 20)

Kilwins

374

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59

Kona Ice Business(es)

1,933

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Kilwins

+46

Calculated: 328 at end of 2023 → 374 at end of 2025

Kona Ice Business(es)

+263

Calculated: 1,670 at end of 2023 → 1,933 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Kilwins

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Kona Ice Business(es)

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

Kilwins

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Kona Ice Business(es)

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Kilwins

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Kona Ice Business(es)

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

Kilwins

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All States

$814,852

other All States grosssales

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Colorado

$718,913

other Colorado grosssales

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Florida

$1,209,130

other Florida grosssales

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54

+19 more groups in the full report

KIKona Ice Business(es)

No reviewed Item 19 figures

Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

Kilwins vs Kona Ice Business(es): common questions

Which costs less to open, Kilwins or Kona Ice Business(es)?: Kilwins: $405,045 – $880,295 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Kona Ice Business(es): $114,730 – $228,601 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Kona Ice Business(es). At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do Kilwins and Kona Ice Business(es) royalties compare?: Kilwins: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14); Kona Ice Business(es): $3,000 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, Kilwins or Kona Ice Business(es)?: Kilwins: 374 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59); Kona Ice Business(es): 1,933 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Kilwins and Kona Ice Business(es) disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Kilwins has reviewed Item 19 figures for 22 location groups; Kona Ice Business(es) has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

How Franopolis reviews FDD figures