Bad Ass Coffee

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is a specialty coffee concept that brings Hawaiian coffee and island flavors to everyday retail settings across the mainland United States and select tourist markets. The brand centers on premium Hawaiian coffees, including 100% Kona and other Hawaiian blends, alongside espresso drinks, cold brew, and a food offering that leans into breakfast, pastries, and grab-and-go options. Stores are designed to serve both quick visits and linger time, with a mix of café seating, takeout, and drive-thru service where sites allow.

The concept originated in Kona, Hawaii, in 1989, created to showcase Hawaiian-grown coffee and the laid-back culture associated with the islands. Over time, the system transitioned to new ownership under Royal Aloha Franchise Company LLC and relocated its headquarters to Colorado. Around 2019, the brand went through a significant systemwide refresh of its branding, store design, and menu. That reset marked a turning point, positioning Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii for a new phase of mainland growth under a more modern look and clearer operating model.

As of May 2024, the company reports 32 locations open and 93 total franchises awarded across more than 20 states and U.S. territories, including Colorado, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and tourism-heavy destinations such as Las Vegas and Orlando. This gap between open units and franchises awarded points to a multi-year opening pipeline and a growth posture that is still in the early innings relative to the brand’s age.

Over roughly the last five years, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii has evolved from a small, largely niche Hawaiian-themed chain into a franchise system oriented toward regional and national expansion. The updated store design, refreshed brand identity, and expanded beverage and food program have helped reposition it as a contemporary specialty coffee player rather than a purely novelty concept. At the same time, the company has leaned into more flexible physical formats that allow it to work in a wider variety of centers and trade areas.

Today, the footprint includes traditional neighborhood cafés, inline and endcap units in retail centers, and drive-thru formats that perform well along commuter corridors and high-traffic arterials. The brand also appears in nontraditional and visitor-focused locations that capture tourist and resort traffic. Its active franchising strategy is focused on multi-unit and single-unit operators in Sun Belt markets, the Mountain West, Texas, Florida, the broader Southeast, and tourism destinations, which aligns with population growth and year-round visitation patterns.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii offers a recognizable yet still differentiated coffee use with a relatively compact footprint and multiple format options, including the ability to convert second-generation restaurant or retail spaces. The brand’s emphasis on morning and daytime trade, its pipeline of awarded but unopened franchises, and its appeal to both local residents and visitors make it a candidate for neighborhood centers, mixed-use projects, and high-visibility corridors looking to add a daily traffic driver.