City Ice create clearn and pure ice that’s untouched by human hands.
City Ice create clearn and pure ice that’s untouched by human hands.
At the core of City Ice’s mission to provide the cleanest, purest ice in the industry is a message of love and gratitude – and that’s what goes into every product we make. Inspired by the water crystal experiments of Dr. Masaru Emoto, we’ve cultivated a process that utilizes the power of positive thoughts and words to make our ice truly special.
We’re excited to announce our support for the EMOTO PEACE PROJECT with the sale of our very own “Love & Gratitude” bracelets, a portion of which will be donated to the cause. The project’s mission is to teach all people, especially children the true power of how our thoughts, words and emotions through water can help in advancing world peace. Please contact us for additional information to find out how you can sell these to help your Non Profit raise funds.
When we have surveyed people with the idea that ice is food, they don’t agree, in fact they look at us funny. What then do you call the frozen water, the ice you eat as part of a drink if it isn’t called food? While ice it isn’t meat, poultry, or vegetation because one ingests this as part of or as an ingredient to something else, it is a food product simply due to the fact we eat/drink it.
We use every effort to protect our ice from contamination. Contamination is anything which is not supposed to be included. So if anything we remove ingredients (filter) from our water supply to deliver to you only delicious, yummy, crystal clear, frozen water- never touched by human hands (or any other parts).
Can we discuss the Ice you make at Home?
We really never think about this ice, we just put it into our glasses and serve it. Even though many times, it’s smelly ice! Come on, you know I’m telling the truth when I say many times, the ice we use or serve smells funny. That’s because the ice you make at home, like that box of Baking Soda in your refrigerator, absorbs all the smells and germs from all the food in your refrigerator.
Whether you have an automated ice making system or you are using plastic trays-
Water comes through a water line possibly through a water filer and fills a tray where it freezes to make ice. Then it deposits that ice into a bin in your freezer sitting until you need it. Once made and stored, it is dispensed through a hole on the door into your glass or container. As it sits, it absorbs smells from the food in the refrigerator.
Then is ice sitting in the bin just sits uncovered in that bin waiting to be dispensed— If you could identify the ice made by color or number, you might have an idea how long it had been sitting uncovered in your bin.
This brings up two important questions about food and water: Would you have any food in your freezer or refrigerator sitting uncovered? This ice is just sitting for long periods – sublimating (meaning it goes from solid to gas- shrinking). If it were produce you would see wrinkles on it and know when it got old when to discard it. But ice doesn’t wrinkle it just shrinks. You serve it in whatever shape it’s in. Regarding the water question: if you had an uncovered glass of water sitting on your counter or in your refrigerator… just sitting there for days or weeks… Would you EVER drink it or serve it to your friends and family? Chances are you would only drink it if really desperate. But the ice sitting uncovered made from stagnant water, in a machine you’ve hardly if ever cleaned is served to those you love everyday. It is very curious why we treat frozen water as if it can’t grow or contain harmful germs or bacteria (Yes, germs live in ice).
In the case of the trays, contamination is the big issue: Most times people don’t think twice about reaching in grabbing the tray, twisting and handling the ice going into someone’s glass. The chance of contamination is high as people don’t generally stop to wash their hands well before touching the cubes.
About this time, many people will recall never getting sick from the ice in their drink and think we’re just overstating the truth… How many times have you ever gotten a stomach upset in your life? How many times did you ever consider the possibility it was the ice that got you sick? Most people blame the chicken, the fish, the mayonnaise – a virus, their kid sister…. Rare that people ever consider the potential for getting sick from ingesting ice.
Many times you purchase packages of ice in bags with string ties or with some type of closure where anything can get onto or into the product. In some stores we have noticed they store food with the ice and if that food drips into the package… one drop of raw chicken will make the entire family ill. Will you ever think – was it the ice? Most likely not.
Do you really think that minimum waged employees are washing their hands really well before they bag up the ice in the backroom, for sale out front? Whatever bodily fluid can be found in a bathroom (mucus, earwax, poop and anything from either male or female genital areas) can be found in the ice bagged in this manner.
Lobbyists are verbal to oppose any new regulation to protect the consumer with regard to food laws which would protect you when it comes to packaged ice. Many of our lawmakers think that because ice is used as a refrigerant rather than an ingredient this is acceptable. Combined with the lack of records of people getting sick eating ice, this explains in part why the laws do not adequately protect the consumer. But really, even in the case of refrigeration where you are purchasing ice for your cooler, would you want someone’s fecal matter on the outside of a can or bottle or even the dead fish you will cook for dinner?? We believe all ice packaged like this should be clearly labeled: NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
Roadside Machines found in parking lots are just as guilty as above. These machines are small localized manufacturing plants owned by car wash owners, or people not generally in the food business looking to make a quick buck. The training they get is poor at best with regard to sanitation. Easily insects, road dirt, pollen, dust etc let alone them breathing on the product would stop me from ever wanting to put this product in my glass. A recent study done by a University reflected a 30%+ contamination rate of ice made in either of the above scenarios. Fecal coliform was one of the contaminants found in some cases tested.
Food Production Standards— our ice goes from a machine into another machine and so forth; into a package (only virgin plastics and FDA approved inks are used) which (in most cases) we form here. At NO time is the ice touched by a person. There are many areas of our plant which is off limits to most of our employees and no visitors. If there is any question to the sanitation of product, that product is discarded.
2007 City Ice Company had been recognized by the International Packaged Ice Association (IPIA) for PIQCS (Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards) PLUS accreditation. This includes HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point – an excepted Food Industry Safety Program developed for NASA many years ago to be proactive toward food safety for the Airspace program to keep our astronauts safe from food borne illnesses) which is the “Highest Accreditation Granted by the IPIA.”
Cools 33% Faster
than traditional packaged ice. Want to know how? You tell us. Email your response to healthier@RoadToCool.com along with your name, address, phone number and we will mail a gift to anyone living in central Virginia that provides the correct answer.
Got something to say?
Have a good story or upset you want to share with us. Perhaps just want to write and let us know how much you enjoy our product and we’ve converted you. Write back to healthier@RoadToCool.com with a compliment or a complaint and if you’re in our delivery area, we’ll send you a gift. Don’t forget to include your name, address, and phone number.
Clinebell Ice Blocks
Once upon a time, blocks of ice were harvested from lakes in the winter, packed in saw dust and shipped via rail to the south. In the early 1900’s refrigeration was discovered and the “modern” ice plant was built in this country.
City Ice Company was established in 1903 as what was then a very modern ice manufacturing plant. This type of block making is almost obsolete in the US today due to the age and cost of upkeep of the equipment. City Ice stopped making blocks the old fashioned way in the 1970’s after an ammonia leak in the system.
The way they made block: There was a very large tank which held “brine” or saltwater. In this tank were miles of steel pipe which held a refrigerant (anhydrous ammonia) which was used to cool the brine below freezing temperatures. Immersed into this tank were in our case hundreds of steel “cans” or containers. These cans were filled with fresh water and lowered by an overhead crane system into the freezing salt water bath. The water in the cans would freeze and form blocks. When they wanted them clear, they would “suck the core” or remove the unfrozen water from the center of the block and replace it with fresh water. It was that “core” which was heavy with minerals and cause the ice to have a white “feather” or area in it. By sucking the core and replacing it with fresh water reduced or in some cases eliminated the feather.
Today, City Ice Company manufactures crystal clear Clinebell blocks serving the Ice Carving Industry. Our blocks come packaged in cardboard boxes, 10″ x 20″ x 40″ eight to a pallet- stretch wrapped, 160 to a trailer load.
We have the capability to arrange for transportation for trailer loads of blocks according to inventory, to anywhere in the U.S. If you are close enough to our facility we are here 6 days per week to load your truck. If you are a commercial establishment and need blocks for carving we do deliver blocks on a very limited basis… Call for more information.
We also carry a molded bowl into which we freeze beautiful Sea Shells. This can be an added item to sell – We can with enough time, freeze other items like holiday ornaments or corporate logos into the bowls.
Call today to arrange a delivery or for pricing on any of the above items.
A member of NICA (www.nica.org) the National Ice Carving Association.
Radio Spot 1:
Radio Spot 2:
Coming Soon!
SPARC Inspires Young People, Ages 5-18, to Reach Their Full Potential Through Quality Training in the Performing Arts. SPARC Offers a Graduated Curriculum for Beginners, Experienced Students and Advanced Young Actors, Fall and Spring Classes PLUS Summer Programs.
Fifteen years of bringing the best in exciting, accessible Shakespeare to the greater Richmond area! Appearing at Agecroft Hall, the Gottwald Playhouse at Richmond CenterStage, and on tour, this company creates vital performances of imagination, inspiration, and intimacy.
Off-Broadway and original works, through its main stage productions and readings, bringing audiences a theater experience similar to the blackbox spaces of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, but at far lower ticket prices and with greater emphasis on the actor.
Richmond Jazz Society is a nonprofit corporation created to educate the public regarding the historical development and significance of Jazz music, with a special emphasis on young musicians and young audiences; to be a valuable resource/referral and support center for Jazz in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
ComedySportz, Richmond’s Longest Running Improv. Show– Great for ALL Ages.
Entertaining Richmond Since 1964
Virginia Repertory Theatre combines the talents and strengths of two companies that shared facilities, resources, and management teams for over a decade. Now the heritages of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV live on in their new form, as Central Virginia’s flagship professional theatre company.
Pioneering Theatre, Exploring Contemporary and Alternative Lifestyles.
A Year Round Season of Musicals, Comedies, and Dramas and a Full Line Up of Youth Theatre During the School Year.
The Virginia Performing Arts Foundation- Enriching the Community Through Better Facilities.
Directions:
From I95 , Exit 61A which is Route 10 East. First light make Right onto Old Stage Road. Go to 2nd Stop sign make left onto Old Bermuda Hundred Road. 1/4 mile on right just before propane tanks, gravel driveway small sign says City Ice Company. Building at bottom of driveway. Go to office.
From 295, Take Route 10 West, Chester Exit (you will pass a 7-11). Make a left onto Route 618, called Old Bermuda Hundred Road. Go about 2 miles (over railroad track) on Left just pass large propane tanks, gravel driveway small sign says City Ice Company. Building at bottom of driveway. Go to office.
