OUR STORY
The Origins of Ice Vending and Kooler Ice.
About Kooler Ice
The ice vending industry effectively started in Georgia in 2003.
Until the introduction of ice vending machines, packaged ice was purchased in front of a retail store or inside a grocery store. Customers had to wait in line to purchase ice and then deal with ice clumped into big blocks from thawing and re-freezing due to the ice boxes being opened and closed by customers. After buying ice, customers had to slam the bag of ice on the ground to use in a cooler – let alone in a beverage! In addition, customers had no idea how long the ice had been sitting in the freezers, so stale-tasting, freezer-burned ice was not uncommon. For years, customers accepted this because no other option was available for buying packaged ice in bulk.
With the introduction of ice vending machines, a major disruption in packaged ice had begun! Entrepreneurs and retailers saw that the packaged ice business could change and that ice vending would revolutionize the way people bought their ice for years to come! Customers would now have access to fresh, high-quality bagged ice 24/7. The ice industry would never be the same!
Our TimeLine
June 2006
Kooler Ice started in Montezuma, Georgia, back in 2007. Partners Kerry Seymour and Jeff Dyson opened their company after seeing larger ice houses around Southern Georgia. After studying the market, they realized that Ice Vending was disruptive technology. However, they also realized that the larger machines being introduced at the time were too expensive, too large, too complicated, and costly to operate. So, they set out to design a machine that was simpler, smaller, and more efficient to operate and provide owners with a higher return on investment. Fast forward 18 years, and Kooler Ice is the leader in Ice Vending with the world’s most innovative and expansive product line in the Ice Vending Industry.
July 2007
In July 2007, Kooler Ice introduced its first ice vending machine – the KI810. The design of the machine was revolutionary. It was smaller, easier to operate, and easier to maintain. It was also more energy efficient than the larger ice houses with an aesthetically pleasing, clean design. In addition, the price point for owning a machine was substantially lower than the cost of the larger units. Seymour, Kooler Ice’s lead designer, and co-founder of the company, also saw a potential safety issue with having ice delivered from a chute without a bag, so Kooler Ice decided that their machine must automatically bag the ice to keep the product sanitary and clean for consumer convenience and safety. This proved to be very important during Covid. So, at that time, they invested heavily in the research and development of the bagging system. The KI810 was the smallest ice vending machine that automatically bagged ice, but it was also highly productive and more energy efficient to improve the owners’ return on investment. And it was highly successful.
July 2008
In 2008, Seymour and Dyson were still working on a design to make the machine even more energy efficient so that its profitability could be even more robust, and they designed and introduced the first KI810 model without a refrigeration unit in the Fall of 2008. This idea came from the recognition that it was cheaper to make the ice than try to keep it frozen in the bin. Removing the refrigeration unit and replacing it with a specialized and well-insulated bin dramatically reduced utility costs, increasing the owner’s profitability. It Is also an additional “earth-friendly” step for the ice vending industry.
August 2008
Although the KI810 machine was “smart,” using messages and alerts on an LED screen that advised owners and customers about the machine, Kooler Ice found that its owners wanted more detail and information and didn’t want to have to physically go to the machine to get it, which led to Kooler Ice developing a partnership with Prism Systems in Mobile, Alabama. Kooler Ice worked extensively with Prism to create the first manufacturer to offer a remote monitoring system for ice vending machines, allowing owners to access machine information from a smartphone or computer. This feature was a huge time saver for owners since they no longer had to go to the machine to find out something that needed attention. The monitoring system automatically sent alerts to them if the machine was out of bags, out of ice, etc. In addition, they could also monitor their sales! This feature allowed owners to work more efficiently, so they spent less time at the machine, again increasing their return on investment and enhancing their ownership experience. Kooler Ice became the first and only manufacturer to introduce its iPhone application. Since this time, Kooler Ice has worked with Prism to continually improve and add to the features of the system that we now call “IceTalk.” In the summer of 2013, Kooler Ice and Prism Systems were awarded the Siemens Customer Excellence Award for Innovation for their accomplishments using Siemens electronics. We continue to lead the industry with our extensive remote monitoring features today.
March 2009
Kooler Ice has always prided itself on listening to the wants and needs of its owners. After getting customer feedback from various markets, Kooler Ice designed a filtered water vending feature that could be built into the same ice vending unit, allowing owners to add water sales through the same unit affordably. Recognizing that some areas of the country had poorer water quality than others, Kooler Ice also offered an RO (Reverse Osmosis) water vending system to improve those areas’ water and ice quality. Because ice and filtered water are naturally compatible, this was an easy and cost efficient way to offer Kooler Ice owners another income source through the same machine, increasing their potential return on investment.
June 2009
Kooler Ice introduced the IM1000 ice vending machine. The design of this machine was completely different from the original KI810 because it was designed with retailers and businesses in mind. It had all of the cost-efficient features of the KI810, but it was designed to look like a soft drink machine (on steroids!). It was the first machine that Kooler Ice designed using Lexan graphics for a sharper look, as well as for ease of cleaning. Its design was intended to aesthetically blend cleanly with a storefront with its more contemporary design. Shortly after it was introduced, Kooler Ice back-lit the graphics on the Lexan so that the machine could be seen more easily at night to help increase its presence and ability to be seen from the road. The Lexan graphics that we used on this machine were so well received that Kooler Ice now uses Lexan graphics on all of its machines.
March 2010
Because of the success of its product line, Kooler Ice relocated to Byron, Georgia, to occupy a 30,000 sq. ft. Facility to accommodate its increased production needs. Kooler Ice’s Vice President of Operations, Bob Fosson, designed the new facility to be a state-of-the-art, lean manufacturing facility and oversaw the training of the plant employees so that everyone was focused on building the highest quality products available. Our dedicated workforce is a big part of Kooler Ice’s success!
October 2011
Kooler Ice introduced the IM2500 ice vending machine in 2011. It was their most significant and most productive unit to date. In designing this product, Seymour still kept the smallest footprint possible in mind. Still, he designed the unit to accommodate additional ice makers, which could also be installed in the field, depending on the owner’s needs. This unit is the closest in size and capacity to our larger competitors. However, this model allowed owners to purchase the unit with one or two ice makers initially but expand and increase their production (and therefore their utility use) as the season and production needs dictated – affordably. The IM2500 Ice Vending machine quickly became the best-selling unit due to its more modest size, energy and space efficiency, and high productivity. Consumers found the machine’s look more aesthetically pleasing because of the graphics and styling. Its presence is not an eyesore to the community. This unit can also be equipped with a water vending station as well!
January 2013
Kooler Ice introduced the new IM500Ice Vending Machine in 2013 This model was designed to have a trimmer depth to fit on the sidewalk of retailers, allowing for more sidewalk space to meet ADA requirements and to provide more efficient traffic flow to the unit. Its size was designed to fit in the space of the businesses’ current ice box and to seamlessly replace their current ice delivery system, allowing business owners to retail their ice and fix their ice costs into the future (which were previously affected by rising fuel and labor costs). It was also an ideal solution for locations that wanted to affordably add ice as a secondary income stream to maximize their revenue from their high visibility location but had limited space available. The IM500 was a big success, providing retailers with a great way to replace their package ice suppliers and make their own ice on-site at a lower price.
March 2014
Due to the continued growth and sales in the ice vending business, Kooler Ice began another plant expansion, which increased the facility from 30,000 sq.ft. to 45,000 sq.ft., providing additional production capacity, a larger parts warehouse and the addition of an R&D area where Seymour and his team can continue their work on future product innovations. Our machine owners keep telling us what they want – and we keep listening and incorporating new features and improvements into our designs. Being responsive and listening to our customers has been key to developing and continuing to improve our product offerings.
February 2015
Kooler Ice introduces the first industrial-sized, non-retail ice and water dispenser, the Hydration Pro. The Hydration Pro became the first ice and water dispenser made with the ability to go indoors or outdoors. The Hydration Pro comes standard with a 550lb ice storage bin, and it can dispense ice and filtered water into various container sizes, from a 1-quart personal container to a 10-gallon water cooler. With ease of use in mind, we designed the Hydration Pro so that all users have to do is push the ice button continuously to dispense ice and the water button continuously to dispense purified water. The Hydration Pro’s large capacity, heavy-duty design allows companies to hydrate their employees for a fraction of the cost compared to buying bagged ice or storing and taking delivery of 5-gallon water bottles. Kooler Ice’s Hydration Pro is a low-cost way to hydrate your employees!
July 2015
Kooler Ice introduces the IM600 and IM600XL, the industry’s smallest, most productive ice and water vending machines. The key design criteria for the IM600 was to allow the unit to be easily placed out in front of a retail store, with as small a footprint as possible, realizing ADA was becoming increasingly important in the ice vending industry. The IM600 was designed for ADA access since the unit is only 3’ deep and 4’7” wide. This compact design makes placement easier while still boasting a 550lb insulated ice storage bin that holds 50 10+lbs of ice ready to vend every morning. The IM600XL was also introduced at the same time. The IM600XL was 17” wider than the IM600 to allow for a water station and reverse osmosis filtration system with a storage tank. At 6’ wide, the IM600XL offers both purified ice and purified water, all in one machine! When it comes to production, both machines can produce as much as 90+ 10lb bags of ice per day, depending on the ice maker chosen. Since its introduction, the IM600/IM600XL has quickly become a standard in the ice and water vending industry!
April 2019
In 2019, Kooler Ice introduced the IM1500 Ice and Water Vending Machine. The IM1500 was designed to provide owners with a very productive machine with the ability to add a 2nd ice maker at a later date while still keeping the footprint relatively small. The IM1500 was an immediate success, offering the perfect balance between production, price, CE, and performance. The IM1500 offers a 1500 lb vacuum-formed, double-walled, insulated ice storage bin and can be equipped with one or two 1907 lb. Scotsman Ice Makers. The IM1500 can fit in one parking space and comes equipped with a high-efficiency LED lighting package, easy-to-clean high gloss Lexan, and the best monitoring system on the market. The unit was also designed with a water vending station and reverse osmosis water filtration system. The IM1500 quickly became the number-one-selling ice vending machine in the world. Since its introduction, over 500 units have been sold!
Throughout Kooler Ice’s growth process, Kooler Ice has had one goal – to provide owners with the most reliable, durable, and innovative machine in the industry and to support its owners to the highest standards possible!”
This philosophy has made the Kooler Ice brand of ice vending machines the most reliable, durable, and innovative brand in the Ice Vending Industry. It provides owners with the best price-to-value offering on the market.
Kooler Ice continues to innovate and improve its products, introducing new improvements and new features every year.
August 2024
Kooler Ice, the leader in innovative ice & water vending solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its newest model: The IM1000 Series III. This state-of-the-art machine blends the best features of the IM1500 and the previous IM1000 Series II, offering unmatched performance and reliability and further completing Kooler Ice’s product lineup.
The IM1000 Series III sets a new industry standard, providing a sleek kiosk design with high gloss Lexan, large price cards visible on all 4 sides, heavy duty rust free frame and double walled insulated larger capacity ice storage bin. Similar to our other models, the ice maker will now be located on top for excellent serviceability and airflow, locked up under the awning frame.
This unit will feature a heavy duty stainless steel vending area, with recessed and protected bill and coin mechanisms and will be equipped with our latest cutting-edge technology, engineering, and Icetalk Monitoring System ensuring a consistent supply of premium ice and water, catering perfectly to commercial, retail and industrial clients.
Our TimeLine
June 2006
Kooler Ice started in Montezuma, Georgia, back in 2007. Partners Kerry Seymour and Jeff Dyson opened their company after seeing larger ice houses around Southern Georgia. After studying the market, they realized that Ice Vending was disruptive technology. However, they also realized that the larger machines being introduced at the time were too expensive, too large, too complicated, and costly to operate.
So, they set out to design a machine that was simpler, smaller, and more efficient to operate and provide owners with a higher return on investment. Fast forward 18 years, and Kooler Ice is the leader in Ice Vending with the world’s most innovative and expansive product line in the Ice Vending Industry.
July 2007
In July 2007, Kooler Ice introduced its first ice vending machine – the KI810. The design of the machine was revolutionary. It was smaller, easier to operate, and easier to maintain. It was also more energy efficient than the larger ice houses with an aesthetically pleasing, clean design. In addition, the price point for owning a machine was substantially lower than the cost of the larger units.
Seymour, Kooler Ice’s lead designer, and co-founder of the company, also saw a potential safety issue with having ice delivered from a chute without a bag, so Kooler Ice decided that their machine must automatically bag the ice to keep the product sanitary and clean for consumer convenience and safety. This proved to be very important during Covid.
So, at that time, they invested heavily in the research and development of the bagging system. The KI810 was the smallest ice vending machine that automatically bagged ice, but it was also highly productive and more energy efficient to improve the owners’ return on investment. And it was highly successful.
July 2008
In 2008, Seymour and Dyson were still working on a design to make the machine even more energy efficient so that its profitability could be even more robust, and they designed and introduced the first KI810 model without a refrigeration unit in the Fall of 2008. This idea came from the recognition that it was cheaper to make the ice than try to keep it frozen in the bin.
Removing the refrigeration unit and replacing it with a specialized and well-insulated bin dramatically reduced utility costs, increasing the owner’s profitability. It Is also an additional “earth-friendly” step for the ice vending industry.
August 2008
Although the KI810 machine was “smart,” using messages and alerts on an LED screen that advised owners and customers about the machine, Kooler Ice found that its owners wanted more detail and information and didn’t want to have to physically go to the machine to get it, which led to Kooler Ice developing a partnership with Prism Systems in Mobile, Alabama.
Kooler Ice worked extensively with Prism to create the first manufacturer to offer a remote monitoring system for ice vending machines, allowing owners to access machine information from a smartphone or computer. This feature was a huge time saver for owners since they no longer had to go to the machine to find out something that needed attention.
The monitoring system automatically sent alerts to them if the machine was out of bags, out of ice, etc. In addition, they could also monitor their sales! This feature allowed owners to work more efficiently, so they spent less time at the machine, again increasing their return on investment and enhancing their ownership experience. Kooler Ice became the first and only manufacturer to introduce its iPhone application.
Since this time, Kooler Ice has worked with Prism to continually improve and add to the features of the system that we now call “IceTalk.” In the summer of 2013, Kooler Ice and Prism Systems were awarded the Siemens Customer Excellence Award for Innovation for their accomplishments using Siemens electronics. We continue to lead the industry with our extensive remote monitoring features today.
March 2009
Kooler Ice has always prided itself on listening to the wants and needs of its owners. After getting customer feedback from various markets, Kooler Ice designed a filtered water vending feature that could be built into the same ice vending unit, allowing owners to add water sales through the same unit affordably.
Recognizing that some areas of the country had poorer water quality than others, Kooler Ice also offered an RO (Reverse Osmosis) water vending system to improve those areas’ water and ice quality. Because ice and filtered water are naturally compatible, this was an easy and cost efficient way to offer Kooler Ice owners another income source through the same machine, increasing their potential return on investment.
June 2009
Kooler Ice introduced the IM1000 ice vending machine. The design of this machine was completely different from the original KI810 because it was designed with retailers and businesses in mind. It had all of the cost-efficient features of the KI810, but it was designed to look like a soft drink machine (on steroids!). It was the first machine that Kooler Ice designed using Lexan graphics for a sharper look, as well as for ease of cleaning. Its design was intended to aesthetically blend cleanly with a storefront with its more contemporary design.
Shortly after it was introduced, Kooler Ice back-lit the graphics on the Lexan so that the machine could be seen more easily at night to help increase its presence and ability to be seen from the road. The Lexan graphics that we used on this machine were so well received that Kooler Ice now uses Lexan graphics on all of its machines.
March 2010
Because of the success of its product line, Kooler Ice relocated to Byron, Georgia, to occupy a 30,000 sq. ft. Facility to accommodate its increased production needs. Kooler Ice’s Vice President of Operations, Bob Fosson, designed the new facility to be a state-of-the-art, lean manufacturing facility and oversaw the training of the plant employees so that everyone was focused on building the highest quality products available. Our dedicated workforce is a big part of Kooler Ice’s success!
October 2011
Kooler Ice introduced the IM2500 ice vending machine in 2011. It was their most significant and most productive unit to date. In designing this product, Seymour still kept the smallest footprint possible in mind. Still, he designed the unit to accommodate additional ice makers, which could also be installed in the field, depending on the owner’s needs. This unit is the closest in size and capacity to our larger competitors. However, this model allowed owners to purchase the unit with one or two ice makers initially but expand and increase their production (and therefore their utility use) as the season and production needs dictated – affordably.
The IM2500 Ice Vending machine quickly became the best-selling unit due to its more modest size, energy and space efficiency, and high productivity. Consumers found the machine’s look more aesthetically pleasing because of the graphics and styling. Its presence is not an eyesore to the community. This unit can also be equipped with a water vending station as well!
January 2013
Kooler Ice introduced the new IM500Ice Vending Machine in 2013 This model was designed to have a trimmer depth to fit on the sidewalk of retailers, allowing for more sidewalk space to meet ADA requirements and to provide more efficient traffic flow to the unit. Its size was designed to fit in the space of the businesses’ current ice box and to seamlessly replace their current ice delivery system, allowing business owners to retail their ice and fix their ice costs into the future (which were previously affected by rising fuel and labor costs).
It was also an ideal solution for locations that wanted to affordably add ice as a secondary income stream to maximize their revenue from their high visibility location but had limited space available. The IM500 was a big success, providing retailers with a great way to replace their package ice suppliers and make their own ice on-site at a lower price.
March 2014
Due to the continued growth and sales in the ice vending business, Kooler Ice began another plant expansion, which increased the facility from 30,000 sq.ft. to 45,000 sq.ft., providing additional production capacity, a larger parts warehouse and the addition of an R&D area where Seymour and his team can continue their work on future product innovations. Our machine owners keep telling us what they want – and we keep listening and incorporating new features and improvements into our designs. Being responsive and listening to our customers has been key to developing and continuing to improve our product offerings.
February 2015
Kooler Ice introduces the first industrial-sized, non-retail ice and water dispenser, the Hydration Pro. The Hydration Pro became the first ice and water dispenser made with the ability to go indoors or outdoors. The Hydration Pro comes standard with a 550lb ice storage bin, and it can dispense ice and filtered water into various container sizes, from a 1-quart personal container to a 10-gallon water cooler.
With ease of use in mind, we designed the Hydration Pro so that all users have to do is push the ice button continuously to dispense ice and the water button continuously to dispense purified water. The Hydration Pro’s large capacity, heavy-duty design allows companies to hydrate their employees for a fraction of the cost compared to buying bagged ice or storing and taking delivery of 5-gallon water bottles. Kooler Ice’s Hydration Pro is a low-cost way to hydrate your employees!
July 2015
Kooler Ice introduces the IM600 and IM600XL, the industry’s smallest, most productive ice and water vending machines. The key design criteria for the IM600 was to allow the unit to be easily placed out in front of a retail store, with as small a footprint as possible, realizing ADA was becoming increasingly important in the ice vending industry.
The IM600 was designed for ADA access since the unit is only 3’ deep and 4’7” wide. This compact design makes placement easier while still boasting a 550lb insulated ice storage bin that holds 50 10+lbs of ice ready to vend every morning. The IM600XL was also introduced at the same time. The IM600XL was 17” wider than the IM600 to allow for a water station and reverse osmosis filtration system with a storage tank.
At 6’ wide, the IM600XL offers both purified ice and purified water, all in one machine! When it comes to production, both machines can produce as much as 90+ 10lb bags of ice per day, depending on the ice maker chosen. Since its introduction, the IM600/IM600XL has quickly become a standard in the ice and water vending industry!
April 2019
In 2019, Kooler Ice introduced the IM1500 Ice and Water Vending Machine. The IM1500 was designed to provide owners with a very productive machine with the ability to add a 2nd ice maker at a later date while still keeping the footprint relatively small. The IM1500 was an immediate success, offering the perfect balance between production, price, CE, and performance. The IM1500 offers a 1500 lb vacuum-formed, double-walled, insulated ice storage bin and can be equipped with one or two 1907 lb. Scotsman Ice Makers.
The IM1500 can fit in one parking space and comes equipped with a high-efficiency LED lighting package, easy-to-clean high gloss Lexan, and the best monitoring system on the market. The unit was also designed with a water vending station and reverse osmosis water filtration system. The IM1500 quickly became the number-one-selling ice vending machine in the world. Since its introduction, over 500 units have been sold!
Throughout Kooler Ice’s growth process, Kooler Ice has had one goal – to provide owners with the most reliable, durable, and innovative machine in the industry and to support its owners to the highest standards possible!”
This philosophy has made the Kooler Ice brand of ice vending machines the most reliable, durable, and innovative brand in the Ice Vending Industry. It provides owners with the best price-to-value offering on the market.
Kooler Ice continues to innovate and improve its products, introducing new improvements and new features every year.
August 2024
Kooler Ice, the leader in innovative ice & water vending solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its newest model: The IM1000 Series III. This state-of-the-art machine blends the best features of the IM1500 and the previous IM1000 Series II, offering unmatched performance and reliability and further completing Kooler Ice’s product lineup.
The IM1000 Series III sets a new industry standard, providing a sleek kiosk design with high gloss Lexan, large price cards visible on all 4 sides, heavy duty rust free frame and double walled insulated larger capacity ice storage bin. Similar to our other models, the ice maker will now be located on top for excellent serviceability and airflow, locked up under the awning frame.
This unit will feature a heavy duty stainless steel vending area, with recessed and protected bill and coin mechanisms and will be equipped with our latest cutting-edge technology, engineering, and Icetalk Monitoring System ensuring a consistent supply of premium ice and water, catering perfectly to commercial, retail and industrial clients.