ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) - Andrew Pedersen navigated the van through the parking lot of the Boys and Girls Club on St. Simons Island. It rolled to a stop outside the center, preparing to meet a sea of excited little faces, eager for a cool treat on a hot summer’s day.
It was an unexpected path that took Pedersen from the deserts of the Middle East to the shores of St. Simons Island, but it’s one he’s embraced. His wife, Jennifer, first saw a Kona Ice Truck in Richmond Hill and felt like there was something more to it than a simple icy drink.
“I scrounged up $4 to get a Kona and was mesmerized by the truck. The driver was so kind and eager to chitchat. It was such a great experience. I sent Andrew a picture of the Kona and told him about the experience,” she said.
Andrew nodded.
“She said, ‘This is what we need to do when you leave the Army.’ I just laughed,” he said. “I didn’t know anything about tropical shaved ice.”
Andrew didn’t give it much more thought until he was facing the end of his time in the service. That’s when the couple started getting serious about franchise opportunities.
They explored a variety of options but kept coming back to Jennifer’s original suggestion - teaming up with Kona Ice. The laid back vibe just seemed to be a perfect fit for them.
“I spent all night researching it. Then, we decided to apply for the franchise,” he said. “One of the biggest things we were drawn to is the fact that they are so charity-oriented. They’ve given away $62 million across the country.”
Another point of interest was the nutritional chart. Penderson notes that the flavors of shaved ice align with the Smart Snack initiative, which aims to offer little ones nutritious foods.
“It uses real fruit and pure cane sugar, which is much healthier,” he said. “For a 22 ounce drink, it’s only 100 calories. So it’s less than most soft drinks calorie-wise.”
The truck, which is decked out in island-themed decor, includes more than 30 different flavors with three sugar free selections.
“Right now, we carry 33 flavors total, including three that are sugar free: Kona Kola and Georgia Peach, then the third flavor is usually a customer-request that we make one bottle of,” Jennifer said.
“The sugar-free peach has been such a hit. It’s so refreshing.”
The Pedersens’ most popular, however, is blue raspberry.
“Personally, I can’t find anything I love as much as green apple. It reminds me of a green candy,” Jennifer said.
They beep through neighborhoods, much like an ice cream truck, as well as attend private and public events, which can be booked via kona-ice.com. But wherever they roam, kids of all ages come out in droves.
“Even parents, they get their drinks too … Tiger’s Blood is always popular with them. They have that sense of nostalgia,” Andrew said.
While they love connecting to customers, the Pendersons also embody the franchise’s model of giving back to their community. They have attended a number of area events, including treating healthcare workers at the hospital on the Fourth of July.
“It’s a small thing, but it’s nice to let them know that we care about them,” Andrew said.
“We had never been here before we moved here to start the franchise, but we really love it. There’s such a sense of community and we want to be a part of that.”
The couple took a leap of faith on both the franchise and moving to a new area. But, so far, both seem to be right on target.
“We moved (here) without actually ever visiting. There was something about it that gave us a great sense of ease. Since moving, we have had an outpouring of positive support,” Jennifer said.
“We’ve met so many wonderful people in such a short amount of time. It has really been amazing. There’s no better place to call home than Golden Isles. We are so lucky to be a part of this community and hope we can give back as much love as we have received.”
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