Ice is an essential component in cocktails and has a significant influence on the consumer experience. However, the prices at which this American company sells its ice have gone viral on networks, especially on Tik Tok. Almost 30 euros for a bag with eight cubes, or “spheres”, of ice. “My mother’s freezer makes them for free,” said a user in one of the comments on the video that had four million views. But this product is not simply frozen water. It is a work of the Penny Pound Ice company, which distributes products in the state of California. Although the company has been around since 2012 and is very popular in bars, it was only a few months ago when its products hit the shelves of a supermarket in Los Angeles, which has caused some confusion among consumers.
Heart-shaped ice for $30, spheres with edible orchids inside for $40, or a bag of eight “frozen rocks” with sheets of edible gold for $28, are some of the products available on the company’s website. company.
“In my opinion, buying a Lamborghini and putting regular unleaded gasoline in it is not servicing the product you spent so much money on,” Gordon Bellaver, one of Penny Pound Ice’s partners, said in an interview. This is one of the common analogies that businessmen use when someone questions the price of their products. “If you spend $50, $60 or $100 on a bottle of whiskey, mezcal or rum, but you put basic generic ice in it, it would be the equivalent.”
In addition to being more visually attractive, the ice produced by this company is longer lasting and chills drinks better. This result is achieved through a process in which the water is subjected to constant agitation. The process causes impurities, such as calcium and magnesium, to move to the surface of the water, where they are removed. The result is a more crystalline and pure piece of ice. “We then cut it, leaving a 300-pound block of clear ice, which we then use band saws to cut into the desired shapes to achieve the final product.”
Penny Ice Pound also makes ice sculptures. Its price starts at $300 and varies depending on the design, size and accessories of the piece, which can include LED lights, slots for bottles or even liquid that passes through it.
