What Icy Hot does

Icy Hot, founded in the 1970s and operated by Chattem, Inc. (a Tennessee-incorporated subsidiary doing business as Opella) under the Opella Healthcare Group SAS parent (the 2023 carve-out of Sanofi's consumer health business), is a U.S.-only topical analgesic brand selling over-the-counter pain relief products across roll-on, cream, balm, patch, and spray formats. Its core technology is menthol-based "contrast therapy," which delivers an initial cooling sensation followed by warming to activate TRPM8 and TRPA1 temperature-sensitive skin receptors; higher-strength SKUs add camphor or lidocaine at maximum OTC concentrations, and the PRO line features a 54-node no-mess massage applicator plus an advanced hydrogel patch. The portfolio spans Original, PRO, Lidocaine, and lifestyle-positioned variants (Revive & Recovery scents, Nighttime Recovery with lavender and eucalyptus), totaling roughly 18 stock-keeping units across formats.

Icy Hot generates revenue through one-time consumer purchases at major pharmacy chains, mass merchants, grocery retailers, the DTC icyhot.com site, and Amazon, with pricing varying by retailer and an active email-coupon program ($2 first-order incentive) plus Amazon Prime Day promotions. The brand serves two horizontal persona segments: athletes and active individuals (primary) for muscle/joint and post-workout recovery, and general consumers with minor aches related to arthritis, backache, strains, sprains, and bruises (secondary). HSA/FSA eligibility under the CARES Act is positioned as a payment-rail feature.

The go-to-market blends direct-to-consumer retail/e-commerce with event-driven sports marketing: the brand is the Official Recovery Partner of the Unrivaled women's 3-on-3 basketball league (since January 2025) and the Official Topical Pain Relief Partner of Notre Dame Athletics (its first college sports deal), and runs the Comebaq Courts community initiative in partnership with the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation (relationship since 2003; eight courts completed by February 2026). Manufacturing and packaging are run from a zero-landfill Chattanooga, TN facility (96% waste recycled, 4% energy-recovered, 100% renewable Scope 2 via RECs); the brand holds B Corp certification and a TerraCycle packaging take-back partnership. Direct brand-level headcount is reported at 1-10, reflecting that corporate functions and most operating roles sit at parent Opella rather than the brand entity itself.

Name

Icy Hot

Legal name

Chattem, Inc. d/b/a Opella

Website

https://icyhot.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Icy Hot is a 50-plus-year U.S. OTC topical pain relief brand selling menthol-based contrast therapy roll-ons, creams, balms, patches, and sprays through pharmacy, mass, grocery, Amazon, and DTC channels, targeting athletes and general consumers with minor muscle and joint aches under Opella Healthcare.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Topical Pain Relief

NAICS

Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (325620)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

OTC Pain Relief & Fever (Analgesics, Anti-inflammatory, Topical Pain Relief) (CRADAMAC)

Keywords

• Topical pain relief
• OTC analgesics
• Menthol pain patches
• Contrast therapy products
• Muscle joint relief

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Topical Pain Relief Products: Icy Hot generates revenue through sale of over-the-counter topical analgesic products including roll-ons, creams, balms, patches, and sprays. Products are sold through retail channels (pharmacies, mass merchants) and e-commerce platforms (Amazon, direct-to-consumer website). Revenue is one-time transaction based with repeat purchase behavior driven by product consumption and brand loyalty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Icy Hot manufactures and sells over-the-counter topical pain relief products in multiple formats including no-mess roll-ons, creams, balms, patches, and sprays. Its portfolio is built around menthol-based contrast therapy, combining a cooling sensation to dull pain with a warming sensation to relax muscles, and includes PRO maximum-strength and lidocaine variants targeted at athletes and active consumers.

Product overview

Icy Hot is a topical pain relief brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of pain solutions powered by contrast therapy technology. The product line includes No-Mess Roll Ons, Creams, Gels, Patches, and Sprays. Key product families include: Original products with menthol-based contrast therapy; PRO products with maximum-strength dual pain relievers (menthol and camphor); Lidocaine products providing numbing relief; and Revive & Recovery products with crafted fragrances. All products use a cooling sensation followed by warming sensation to deliver fast, targeted relief for minor aches and pains of muscles and joints. Icy Hot is an Opella brand with over 50 years of history.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Icy Hot No-Mess Roll On Roll-on topical analgesic with a no-mess applicator that delivers fast-acting menthol-based contrast therapy for muscle and joint pain relief. Targeted at consumers seeking convenient OTC pain relief.
• Icy Hot PRO Massaging Balm Maximum-strength massaging balm with two extra-strength pain relievers (menthol and camphor) delivered via an easy-grip applicator. Enriched with cocoa butter and avocado oil; targets athletes and active consumers needing relief across multiple pain points.
• Icy Hot Max Lidocaine Patch Maximum-strength OTC lidocaine patch that adheres to the body and provides numbing pain relief through comfortable fabric. Designed for consumers seeking non-menthol topical numbing relief.
• Icy Hot Original Back Patch Large menthol-based patch providing targeted cooling and warming contrast therapy for back pain. Wearable for up to 8 hours for back, lower back, and large muscle area relief.
• Icy Hot PRO Pain Relief Patch Maximum-strength patch combining two extra-strength pain relievers with advanced hydrogel technology for immediate cooling and extended relief. Targeted at athletes and consumers with more intense pain.
• Icy Hot Original Patch Variety Pack Variety pack containing 5 large and 5 medium menthol-based contrast therapy patches for flexible application across multiple body areas.
• Icy Hot Arm, Neck and Leg Patch Targeted menthol-based contrast therapy patch sized for arms, neck, and legs, made with comfortable fabric and wearable for up to 8 hours.
• Icy Hot Lidocaine No-Mess Roll On Maximum-strength lidocaine roll-on with quick-drying, no-mess applicator for targeted numbing pain relief. For consumers who prefer lidocaine over menthol contrast therapy.
• Icy Hot PRO No-Mess Roll-On PRO-level roll-on with two maximum-strength pain relievers delivered via a patented 54-node massage applicator for hands-free application. Targets athletes needing relief on multiple pain points.
• Icy Hot Nighttime Recovery No-Mess Roll-On Targeted pain relief roll-on infused with lavender and eucalyptus for nighttime use, applying contrast therapy with calming scents before sleep.
• Icy Hot Lidocaine Cream Maximum-strength OTC lidocaine cream with a fast-absorbing formula that numbs away pain. For consumers preferring cream format over patches or roll-ons.
• Icy Hot Advanced Cream Maximum-strength cream combining two pain relievers (16% menthol and 11% camphor) for targeted dual-action therapy. For consumers with more intense muscle or joint pain.
• Icy Hot Original Cream Non-greasy topical analgesic cream formulated with 10% menthol and 30% methyl salicylate for fast-acting contrast therapy relief of minor muscle and joint pain.
• Icy Hot Original Dry Spray Spray-on menthol-based contrast therapy product that dries quickly and sprays at any angle for application to hard-to-reach areas. Provides fast-acting pain relief that penetrates to nerves.
• Icy Hot Lidocaine Dry Spray Maximum-strength OTC lidocaine dry spray for any-angle application, providing numbing pain relief to hard-to-reach areas.
• Icy Hot PRO Dry Spray Maximum-strength PRO-level topical analgesic spray combining two pain relievers in a fast-drying, any-angle delivery format for athletes and active consumers.
• Icy Hot Balm Original topical analgesic balm containing 7.6% menthol and 29% methyl salicylate that penetrates to nerves for fast-acting relief of muscle and joint pain.
• Icy Hot Revive & Recovery No-Mess Pain Relief Roll-On Recovery-focused roll-on formulated with 8% menthol and crafted scents, available in Energizing Citrus, Revitalizing Tropical Rush, and Refreshing Lime & Mint variants. Targets consumers wanting scented, on-the-go recovery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4X the pain-relieving menthol compared to Biofreeze (16% vs 4% per fl. oz.)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• UnrivaledcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 January 2025Icy Hot became the Official Recovery Partner of Unrivaled, the professional women's 3-on-3 basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. The partnership supports players with topical pain relief products during the nine-week season starting January 17, 2025. Features content production and community court renovation in Miami.
• Shaquille O'Neal FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Longstanding partnership since 2003 with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal to support athletes in their fight against pain. Jointly runs the Comebaq Courts initiative refurbishing public basketball courts in underserved communities across the U.S. Courts feature fresh flooring, custom graphics, LED scoreboards, seating areas, and shade structures.
• Notre Dame AthleticsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerIcy Hot is the Official Topical Pain Relief Partner of Notre Dame Athletics, representing the brand's first-ever college sports partnership. Supports student-athletes with pain relief products for training and competition.
• TerraCycleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIcy Hot partnered with TerraCycle to help consumers upcycle Icy Hot packaging that local recycling facilities cannot process. The program allows consumers to mail in eligible packaging (patches, tubes, bottles, rollerballs, jars, aerosol cans) for recycling through TerraCycle's platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Capzasin: Capzasin (Chattem/Sanofi) is another Opella sister brand offering capsaicin-based topical pain relief creams and patches. It competes with Icy Hot in the OTC topical analgesic category for arthritis and chronic joint pain, sharing pharmacy shelf space and the same consumer.
• Biofreeze: Biofreeze is the closest direct competitor to Icy Hot, offering menthol-based topical pain relief products (roll-ons, sprays, patches, creams) targeted at athletes and active consumers in the same OTC channel. Icy Hot specifically benchmarks its 16% menthol concentration against Biofreeze's 4%, making them direct head-to-head rivals in maximum-strength topical analgesia.
• Bengay: Bengay (Johnson & Johnson) is a legacy methyl salicylate and menthol topical analgesic brand competing directly with Icy Hot's Original Cream and Balm. It serves the same OTC muscle and joint pain consumer in pharmacy and mass retail, with overlapping menthol-based contrast therapy positioning.
• Aspercreme: Aspercreme (Chattem/Sanofi) is a leading OTC lidocaine-based topical pain relief brand that directly competes with Icy Hot's lidocaine patch, cream, and roll-on lines. It is a sister brand within the same Opella/Chattem portfolio, targeting the same numbness-driven pain relief consumer occasion.
• Tiger Balm: Tiger Balm is a heritage topical analgesic brand offering menthol and camphor-based pain relief products in ointments, patches, and liniments. It overlaps directly with Icy Hot's Original Cream and Balm product formats, serving the same muscle and joint pain consumer in OTC retail channels.
• Blue-Emu: Blue-Emu is an OTC topical analgesic brand built around emu oil and trolamine salicylate, directly competing with Icy Hot in the muscle and joint pain category. It is sold through the same mass, pharmacy, and e-commerce retail channels as Icy Hot's Original and PRO product lines.
• Salonpas: Salonpas (Hisamitsu) is a global OTC topical pain patch and analgesic brand that directly competes with Icy Hot's patch and roll-on lines across mass and pharmacy retail. Icy Hot specifically claims its cooling sensation works 10x faster than the Salonpas patch, indicating they compete for the same shelf set and consumer occasion.

Emerging players

• Penetrex: Penetrex is a smaller, digitally-native topical pain relief brand that competes with Icy Hot through online and Amazon channels. It uses arnica, MSM, and other ingredients to differentiate on inflammation relief, overlapping with Icy Hot's PRO tier for the active consumer segment.
• Theraworx Relief: Theraworx Relief is a specialty topical brand targeting nighttime muscle cramp and leg relief, intersecting with Icy Hot's Nighttime Recovery and Revive & Recovery no-mess roll-on SKUs. It competes for share of wallet within the active consumer and recovery-occasion segments.

Broad incumbents

• Voltaren: Voltaren (Haleon/GSK Consumer Healthcare) is the leading OTC topical NSAID (diclofenac) brand for arthritis and joint pain. While it uses a different active ingredient, it competes directly with Icy Hot's arthritis and joint pain positioning in the same OTC analgesic shelf set across pharmacy retail.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icyhot
• Facebookfacebook.com/icyhot

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Icy Hot