Arctic Glacier
Arctic Glacier is a North American manufacturer and direct-store-delivery distributor of premium packaged ice, producing 2 billion pounds annually across 100+ facilities and serving 75,000+ retail, industrial, events, and emergency-relief customers in the U.S. and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1882
- HeadquartersBala Cynwyd, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Arctic Glacier does
Arctic Glacier is a North American manufacturer and Direct Store Delivery (DSD) distributor of premium packaged ice, operating under the Arctic Glacier® brand with a heritage dating to 1882. The company produces 2 billion pounds of ice annually across more than 100 production, warehouse, and office facilities in 18 U.S. states and 6 Canadian provinces, deploying a fleet of over 1,000 trucks to serve 75,000+ customer locations. Core product lines include packaged ice (multiple retail sizes), 300-lb block ice, and crushed ice; specialty offerings include artificial snow, ice sculptures and luges, dry ice, events ice, and concrete cooling. All products carry IPIA food-safety certification and comply with FDA, CFIA, and FSMA standards under the Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards (PIQCS), with annual third-party audits.
The business operates a B2B transaction-based revenue model, serving four primary verticals: retail grocery, convenience, and liquor stores (DSD core); industrial and construction (heat relief, concrete cooling, food processing compliance); events and entertainment (specialty ice and logistics); and disaster/emergency relief. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales for retail and industrial accounts with self-service channels including the Glen Glacier mobile app (iOS/Android) and a customer web portal for SMB and event customers. Pricing is quote-based, volume-driven, and not publicly disclosed. Customer engagement is supported by an online Ice Calculator tool and direct sales engagement.
Arctic Glacier was privately held by The Carlyle Group from prior to 2018 through February 2026, when it was acquired by Reddy Ice, LLC (a portfolio company of SCI Capital Partners), combining the two largest North American packaged ice producers. The transaction was approved by the DOJ Antitrust Division subject to divestitures of four facilities in Washington, Idaho, and California, and customer contracts in Oregon and the New York/Boston metropolitan areas. The company had been executing an active regional roll-up strategy, completing acquisitions of Superior Ice (2020), Norton Ice (2021), Mid-Central Ice (2021), and North Star Ice (2022) prior to the Reddy Ice combination.
Arctic Glacier firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Arctic Glacier
- Legal name
- Arctic Glacier Canada Inc. / Arctic Glacier U.S.A., Inc.
- Website
- https://arcticglacier.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1882
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Arctic Glacier is a North American manufacturer and direct-store-delivery distributor of premium packaged ice, producing 2 billion pounds annually across 100+ facilities and serving 75,000+ retail, industrial, events, and emergency-relief customers in the U.S. and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Arctic Glacier is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bala Cynwyd
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices23 records
Markets served
Arctic Glacier business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Packaged Ice Sales: Sale of premium packaged ice products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through direct store delivery and bulk ordering
- Specialty Ice Services: Specialized ice products and services including artificial snow for events, ice sculptures and luges, concrete cooling applications, and dry ice
- Industrial Solutions: Ice products and delivery services for employee welfare programs, construction sites, and food processing operations
- Disaster & Emergency Relief: Emergency ice delivery services for disaster relief and emergency situations
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | B2B packaged ice pricing based on volume, delivery frequency, and customer type |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Arctic Glacier product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Arctic Glacier manufactures premium packaged ice (multiple sizes), 300-lb block ice, and crushed ice, and distributes them via a Direct Store Delivery (DSD) model to retail, commercial, industrial, and event customers across North America. The company also supplies specialty ice products and services, including artificial snow, ice sculptures, dry ice, concrete cooling, industrial heat-relief and food-processing solutions, and disaster/emergency relief ice supply, supported by 100+ production facilities and a 1,000+ truck fleet.
Product overview
Arctic Glacier is a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of premium packaged ice, offering a portfolio of ice products and related services. The core product line includes Packaged Ice (multiple sizes for retail and commercial use), Block Ice (300-lb blocks for industrial/specialty use), and Crushed Ice. These are complemented by specialty services such as Artificial Snow/Snow Scene production, Ice Sculptures & Luges, Dry Ice sales, Events ice planning, and Concrete cooling. The company also provides operational services including Direct-to-Store Delivery (with 1,000+ truck fleet), Disaster & Emergency Relief, and Industrial Solutions (heat relief, construction support, food processing compliance). A mobile app and Ice Calculator tool support customer ordering. All products are food-grade certified, IPIA-accredited, and compliant with FDA and CFIA standards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Packaged Ice
Quantifiable outcome
- 2 billion pounds of ice produced and delivered annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Arctic Glacier
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Arctic Glacier technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Arctic Glacier partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Reddy IcecoreReddy Ice acquired Arctic Glacier from Carlyle Group in February 2026. The acquisition combined two major North American packaged ice providers, creating an entity operating over 115 manufacturing and distribution facilities. As a condition of DOJ Antitrust Division review, Reddy Ice was required to divest four facilities in Washington, Idaho, and California, along with customer contracts in Oregon and the New York/Boston metropolitan areas.
- North Star IceminorArctic Glacier acquired North Star Ice in May 2022 as part of strategic expansion in the ice manufacturing sector. The acquisition included the opening of a new production facility.
- International Packaged Ice Association (IPIA)coreArctic Glacier operates under IPIA's Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards (PIQCS), fully compliant with Food Safety Modernization Act. Products undergo annual third-party audits by IPIA to maintain food-grade safe product certification.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Arctic Glacier competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Polar Ice: Polar Ice is a regional packaged ice manufacturer and distributor serving the southern U.S. with a similar DSD model to grocery and convenience retailers, directly comparable in product mix (bagged ice, block ice) and customer base.
- Reddy Ice: Reddy Ice is the largest packaged ice manufacturer and distributor in North America and the direct competitor that acquired Arctic Glacier in February 2026. Both companies produce bagged/ packaged ice for retail and commercial customers via direct-store-delivery fleets and share virtually identical customer profiles (grocery, c-store, liquor store, industrial).
- Penguin Ice: Penguin Ice manufactures and distributes packaged ice to retail and commercial customers in the western U.S., offering a similar product portfolio (bagged ice, block ice) and competing head-to-head with Arctic Glacier in overlapping geographies.
- Sub Zero Ice Services: Sub Zero Ice Services is a packaged ice manufacturer serving retail and commercial customers across the Midwest with a DSD model, comparable to Arctic Glacier in customer mix, product offering, and regional footprint.
- Cassens Transport & Ice: Cassens combines packaged ice manufacturing with a long-haul transportation network in the Midwest, comparable to Arctic Glacier in ice production and direct delivery capabilities, with overlapping grocery and c-store retail customers.
- Ice Express: Ice Express is a regional packaged ice producer and distributor operating in the southeastern U.S., comparable to Arctic Glacier in core product (bagged and block ice) and target customer segments (retail grocery, c-store, commercial).
Emerging players
- Hoshizaki America: Hoshizaki is a major manufacturer of commercial ice-making machines used by foodservice and retail operators. While not a packaged-ice producer itself, it is an adjacent competitor/ecosystem player whose in-store ice machines can substitute for purchased packaged ice at the customer level.
- Manitowoc Ice (Welbilt): Manitowoc Ice (now part of Welbilt) produces commercial ice machines for foodservice and retail. Similar to Hoshizaki, it represents an adjacent enabling/integrator ecosystem that competes for the same end-customer ice-supply budget.
Regional players
- Crystal Ice Company: Crystal Ice is a regional packaged ice producer serving select U.S. markets, with a similar product offering (bagged, block, and crushed ice) to Arctic Glacier but a smaller, geographically narrower footprint.
- Country Ice: Country Ice is a regional packaged ice manufacturer in the central U.S. delivering bagged and block ice to retail and commercial accounts, comparable in core offering to Arctic Glacier though at a smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Arctic Glacier social profiles
Digital presenceArctic Glacier compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Arctic Glacier financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Arctic Glacier leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Arctic Glacier funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Arctic Glacier M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Arctic Glacier
What does Arctic Glacier do?
Arctic Glacier manufactures premium packaged ice (multiple sizes), 300-lb block ice, and crushed ice, and distributes them via a Direct Store Delivery (DSD) model to retail, commercial, industrial, and event customers across North America. The company also supplies specialty ice products and services, including artificial snow, ice sculptures, dry ice, concrete cooling, industrial heat-relief and food-processing solutions, and disaster/emergency relief ice supply, supported by 100+ production facilities and a 1,000+ truck fleet.
Is Arctic Glacier a public or private company?
Arctic Glacier is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently acquired.
When was Arctic Glacier founded?
Arctic Glacier was founded in 1882. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Arctic Glacier based?
Arctic Glacier is headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, United States, in the North America region.
How does Arctic Glacier make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Packaged Ice Sales are the primary driver. The others are specialty Ice Services, industrial Solutions and disaster & Emergency Relief.
Who are Arctic Glacier's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Polar Ice, Reddy Ice, Penguin Ice, Sub Zero Ice Services, Cassens Transport & Ice and Ice Express. Emerging players are Hoshizaki America and Manitowoc Ice (Welbilt). Regional players are Crystal Ice Company and Country Ice.
Does Arctic Glacier have an API?
No public API is recorded for Arctic Glacier.