Tony Lamb

Founder and CEO · Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck

Franchising / Food and BeverageFlorence, KY19+ years experience

Founder and CEO of Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck, a mobile coffee franchise launched in 2020 and named for his father, following his earlier founding of Kona Ice in 2007, which grew into the world's largest mobile shaved-ice franchise with more than 1,700 franchisee-owned trucks.

Last reviewed: 7/31/2026

Tony Lamb

Founder and CEO Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck

Last Reviewed: July 31, 2026

Executive Summary

Tony Lamb is Founder and CEO of Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck, a mobile coffee franchise he launched in 2020 and named for his father, Tom Lamb. He is also the founder of Kona Ice, the world’s largest mobile shaved-ice franchise, and Beverly Ann’s Cookies, a mobile dessert concept named for his mother.

Career Highlights

  • Founded Kona Ice in 2007, growing it into the world’s largest mobile food truck company with more than 1,700 franchisee-owned trucks across 49 states and Canada.
  • Launched Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck in 2020; the brand grew to 150 franchised trucks by the end of 2023 and was ranked #372 on the Inc. 5000.
  • Founded Beverly Ann’s Cookies, a mobile dessert truck concept, expanding his mobile franchise portfolio.
  • Inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2023.

Professional Journey

Lamb, a Parkersburg, West Virginia native, spent 17 years selling vacuum cleaners door to door before founding Kona Ice in 2007, after he and his three-year-old daughter had an unpleasant experience with a traditional ice cream truck. He set out to build a cleaner, friendlier mobile shaved-ice experience, growing Kona Ice into the world’s largest mobile food truck company, with more than 1,700 franchisee-owned trucks operating across 49 states and Canada. The company has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 as the #1 New Franchise in the US (2013) and has ranked #1 or #2 in Franchisee Satisfaction by Franchise Business Review for 12 consecutive years.

In 2020, Lamb launched a second brand, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck, named for his father, Tom Lamb, who continues to work at the company’s headquarters several days a week. The mobile coffee concept grew quickly, reaching 150 franchised trucks by the end of 2023 and ranking #372 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. Lamb went on to found a third brand, Beverly Ann’s Cookies, named for his mother, further expanding his mobile franchise portfolio. He was inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2023.

Education

Lamb attended the University of Kentucky.