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starting an ice vending machine business

Buying your first ice and water vending machine 

start generating extra revenue

Some of our ice machine owners own multiple machines that generate a total of $1,000,000 or more in revenue each year. Each of these successful endeavors started when they bought their first ice vending machine.

Many of our ice and water vending machine owners have previously had success in other work or another business, and they’re looking for creative ways to invest that money. Others have retired from their career and are looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity that doesn’t require hiring, training, and managing employees.  

Whatever your specific scenario is, an ice vending machine business can be a great opportunity to start a new venture.

the finances behind ice & water vending

Traditional stores often sell bags of ice for around the same price or less than their purchase price. Normally, there isn’t a lot of profit to be made in traditional “bunker” style ice when your best case scenario is buying it from a supplier at $2.00 a bag and selling it for $2.50 a bag. It only takes a bag or two to be stolen for any potential profit to evaporate.

However, with an ice vending machine, you’re able to produce and vend a bag of ice for around thirty to fifty cents. Then, you can often sell a bag for as much as $3 or more. Plus, there is no fear around shrinkage—each person gets only what they purchase.

Other than the initial machine investment and the month-to-month costs of electricity and water, you only have upkeep costs, such as replacement filters and routine maintenance. An Ice vending machine business is one you can make, build, and attend to on your schedule.

Chris & Lisa Norris

Owners in Missouri

“Before Ice House America, we could not have imagined an opportunity that has a low time commitment and no employees. It is rare to find a business that has low overhead and allows you to invest in a $4 billion industry that is essentially recession-proof. We could not be happier with how this new adventure of ours has turned out.”

purchasing an ice & water vending machine

Interested in buying an ice and water vending machine? There are a handful of steps involved in acquiring your first vending machine and starting your Ice vending machine business. We want to do everything we can to make your location successful, so we’ll help you along the way! 

Location Scouting

Your first location should be less than an hour from your home or office. You may already have a couple ideas to discuss with our team.

IHA Consultation

In general, finding the right location is the hardest and probably most important decision you’ll make around ice and water vending. We’ve placed thousands of successful machines for entrepreneurs like you, and we own hundreds of our own—let us help you find a successful spot! 

Model Selection for Your Location

We will tailor-fit a custom-built machine to your specific location. ROI is our biggest focus; we’ll make sure that you have the right options to serve your customers, without overspending on items you don’t need. 

Acquisition

IHA will not sell you a machine until you have a specific location in mind. It’s a priority to us that your ice vending machine business has the highest probability of success possible. We’ll work with you to assess the location, help you choose the right model, and walk you through the next steps before acquisition. 

Site Prep

To get your machine up and running, you’ll need a solid foundation, like a parking lot or freshly poured concrete pad, appropriate power supply, and adequate water access. We’ll help you through these steps! 

Delivery, Installation and Startup

We work with third-party haulers and trained teams to take the machine from our plant to your location. Our administration team will help coordinate a crane or forklift and other installation requirements to make sure your machine gets the red carpet treatment during setup. 

Revenue Collection

We like to set our machines up with both credit card and cash/coin collection. If you choose to use cash/coin collection, you’ll need to make some time in your schedule to visit the machine weekly to empty the cash and coins.

Monitoring & Maintenance

SmartIce, our remote machine monitoring application, allows you to see your daily revenue, how much you’ve vended, how much ice you have, and monitor all of the consumable parts, like filters, to let you know when things may need to be replaced or upgraded.

View our full product lineup

Larger capacity, larger potential. Smaller capacity, smaller upfront costs.

THE RIGHT MODEL FOR THE RIGHT LOCATION

ice house

LARGEST ICE CAPACITY

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

Optimal for high traffic locations
Largest ice vending machine model
Offers a choice between bagged or direct-to-cooler ice
Minimal Maintenance
Sediment filtration, ater softener, and carbon filtration
Reverse osmosis capable
Payment options, Cash, coin, credit or debit card, Apply Pay, Google Wallet, tokens and coupons
Payment options: Cash, coin, credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, tokens and coupons
Can serve up to 50,000 customer visits per year
SmartIce™ Remote Management System

ice Kiosk

MID-CAPACITY

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

Optimal for medium-to-high traffic locations
Storage options: 2,400 lbs or 3,000 lb bins
Up to 450 bags/day (10-lb bags)
6'8" W x 12' / 16' D x 16' H Footprint (80 or 110 sq ft)
Can vend 10, 16, or 20 lb bags
Sediment filtration, water softener, and carbon filtration
Reverse osmosis capable
Payment options: Cash, coin, credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, tokens and coupons
Use our Twice the Ice Brand or your own brand, no franchise fees either way!
Include backlit structural awning and ice maker screen
SmartIce™ Remote Management System

inline MERCHANT

THE BUILT-IN ICE VENDING MACHINE

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

Fits into existing building facade
1,000 lbs storage capacity
Up to 320 bags/day (10-lb bags)
Small footprint 4' D x 6' W x 8'5" H
Vends 10 lb ice bags
Use our Twice the Ice brand or your own brand, no franchise fees either way!
Replaces bunker ice with more sanitary vended ice with higher profit margins
Pay with cash, card, vend coupons, or tokens
Sediment filtration, water softener, and carbon filtration
Reverse osmosis available
Access from anywhere via your mobile device with the SmartIce™ application

ICE MERCHANT

COMPACT ICE VENDING MACHINE

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

Pay with cash, card, vend coupons, or tokens
750 lbs storage capacity
Up to 320 bags/day (10-lb bags)
Small footprint 4' D x 6' W x 8'5" H (24 sq ft)
Use our Twice the Ice Brand or your own brand, no franchise fees either way!
Inline or standalone models
Sediment filtration, water softener, and carbon filtration
Reverse osmosis available
Access from anywhere via your mobile device with the SmartIce™ application

Ready to start your ice vending business?