How C-Stores Can Make A Profit With Bagged Ice

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the average American purchases four bags of bagged ice per year. How can convenience stores realize a fast payback on America’s love of ice?

The FDA says that 80 percent of bagged ice gets purchased between Memorial Day and Labor Day. But packaged ice isn’t only purchased for outdoor summer events. Also used for emergencies when the electricity goes out or for social gatherings when freezers can’t produce enough ice, packaged ice is a commodity customers seek year-round. Using a Follett® Ice Pro™ ice bagging bin will help your c-store increase profits, save time, and turn your location into the one customers are thinking about where to buy ice.

Bagged Ice That’s Sanitary

Sanitation is on everyone’s mind lately. Ice is no exception. The FDA considers ice a food product and regulates the safety of bagged ice. States also have regulations for selling bagged ice. One of the best ways to keep ice clean is by limiting the time people interact with it. The Ice Pro fills bags automatically, keeping ice untouched by human hands. Meaning no bending into bins or scooping ice into bags, helping keep ice uncontaminated and clean.

Keep Stock Levels Up 

Holiday weekends or declared emergencies mean a rush on purchases of bagged ice. Follett’s Ice Pro is flexible and allows stores to use either a cube ice machine or a Horizon Elite™ series Chewblet® ice machine to fill the ice dispenser. Giving a reliable supply of packaged ice at times when ice suppliers can’t deliver enough ice and helping your convenience store increase sales.

Increase Profits With Bagged Ice 

Packaging your c-store’s bagged ice not only keeps stock on hand but also saves money. Bagging ice on your own with Follett’s Ice Pro costs as little as 25¢ per bag.  When compared to the cost of purchasing bagged ice from a third party vendor of about $1 per bag, businesses can save thousands of dollars per year over purchasing pre-packaged ice. Eighty-five percent faster than manually bagging ice, using the Follett Ice Pro bagging system lets you quickly bag enough ice to run promotions to drive packaged beverage sales and still make a profit.