The Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii coffee franchise has signed a deal to open three new stores in South Carolina, beginning in Rock Hill by mid-2025 with two locations in York County to follow.

The stores will be located in the Greater Charlotte area, including the northernmost part of South Carolina.

The South Carolina expansion is led by Doug Epperly, a food industry professional with 30 years of experience, and his daughter Abby, a coffee enthusiast and MBA student. They aim to create community-centred cafés where customers can relax and connect.

Bad Ass Coffee CEO Scott Snyder said: "We're very excited to welcome the Epperlys to our Bad Ass Coffee 'ohana [the Hawaiian word for 'family'].

 "From our first introduction, the balance of the Epperlys experience, energy and passion were an obvious fit to partner with us to spread the spirit of Hawaii into South Carolina.  The addition of this new development in Rock Hill, combined with existing development in Myrtle Beach, further demonstrates our commitment to establishing a strong presence throughout the Carolinas."

The Bad Ass Coffee franchise opportunity is attracting multi-unit operators, as it provides a development support system that offers teams, technology, tools for territory selection, and expertise in financing, real estate and construction management.

Founded in 1989 on the Big Island of Hawaii, Bad Ass Coffee serves premium Hawaiian coffee from regions such as Kona, Kauai and Maui.

The brand also offers a full menu of blended drinks, signature lattes, cold brews, teas, foods with a Hawaiian twist and branded merchandise.

As members of the International Franchise Association VetFran programme, they also provide a $10,000 discount off the initial franchise fee for veteran franchisees.

In early 2024, Bad Ass Coffee strengthened its US presence by signing agreements to open three stores in Las Vegas and Colorado.