Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii signs historic franchise development agreement

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is celebrating the signing of the largest franchise development deal in its history. The deal will create 18 new locations across the state of Tennessee, with four units in Knoxville, two units in Gatlinburg and 12 units, initially, in the greater Nashville area with an option to open an additional 15-20 units.

“We felt very comfortable throughout our evaluation process with Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii because they share the same values in business and customer relationship that we do at Rothwell Development,” said Cody Rothwell, president of Rothwell Development Company, LLC.

“When we saw the support team that Bad Ass Coffee CEO Scott Snyder has developed, from sales and marketing to franchise operations and support, it was more than impressive.”

“This is a very big moment in our brand’s history,” said Scott Snyder, CEO for Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii.

“The partnership with Rothwell Development Company is not only a great entry into the Nashville market, but also validation of the company’s aggressive growth plan and a product of the work that’s been done by our team to revive this brand as an attractive multi-unit investment opportunity.

“We believe that Rothwell Development company brings a level of enthusiasm, integrity and development/construction experience that will make this a strong partnership today and in the future.”

The Royal Aloha Coffee Company purchased Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii in mid-2019 which set in motion the aggressive expansion plans. The brand, packaging and restaurant design were overhauled and a new senior leadership team was brought in.

The new stores being built by Rothwell Development Company will be the first ever for the brand in Tennessee.

“Our goal is to establish Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii as the No. 1 coffee hub in Tennessee,” said Cody Rothwell.

“The product is superior – bar none – to any other on the market and we are so excited to bring a taste of Hawaii to Tennessee.”