Home
>
Small Business
>
How the Humble Ice Cube Made Business History

How the Humble Ice Cube Made Business History

Gather round while I tell you the story of Kennebec Ice. It's a story full of valuable business lessons even though it happened long ago.

Once upon a time, before the invention of modern refrigeration, folks kept their food cold by using large blocks of ice. That ice was readily available to residents of my state, Maine.

(For my friends in other countries, Maine is the northeastern-most state, bordered by New Hampshire, Canada, and the Atlantic Ocean. We have very cold winters and the ice freezes deep into lakes and rivers.)

Now, residents of Maine didn't think too much about ice other than for their own use. Ice was just a part of life, no big deal. During the economic depression that followed the Civil War, ship's captains in Maine had a hard time finding enough cargo to fill their ships. To compensate for the lack of cargo the ship's crew substituted large blocks of Maine ice to act as ballast. The ice was covered with sawdust to help slow the melting process. This need for ballast created a new market for ice.

When the ships arrived in tropics and sub-tropics, it was discovered that the ice being used as ballast was a valuable product to the residents of those regions. They were willing to pay for that ice. Cutting and shipping ice to other parts of the world became an industry for Maine. This new market saw ice being shipped to China, India, Cuba,and many other places.

Now, somewhere along the way, through some clever promotion, the ice harvested from the Kennebec River in Maine became known as "the best ice". Consumers thought it was higher in purity and health benefits.

There are many rivers and lakes in Maine, all of them produce ice. There really wasn't much difference at the time, all the lakes and rivers were clean enough to drink from, but the perception was that Kennebec Ice was the best. People were willing to pay more to get it.

Because Kennebec Ice was the best, ice companies all over the world started referring to their ice as "Kennebec Ice" even though their ice might come from Kansas or New York. Kennebec Ice was the gold standard for ice.

And then along came modern refrigeration. The ice industry died out and Maine residents, who are always resourceful, moved on to other industries to support their families.

So, here are our modern day business lessons from the story of Kennebec Ice.

1. One product can have many markets and uses, even a product as simple as frozen water.

2. The things we take for granted may be valuable to others.

3. Becoming the gold standard increases business and allows you to charge a higher price.

4. It's important to protect your brand to keep it from being cheapened and compromised by others.

5. Watch for trends that tell you it's time to get out of the ice business and develop new products or services.

Of course, the ice business is still alive and well in the modern world, driven by a new industry--tourism and recreation. So, next time you fill your cooler,think of the humble ice cube and the proud part it played in creating business history.

Caroline Jordan, MBA delivers icy cold business advice in a frosted glass to self employed professionals in the desert-parched land of business ownership. For more tips and strategies to create a successful, thirst quenching business, attract a deep pool of customers you enjoy, increase your cash flow river, and develop additional streams of refreshing revenue visit http://www.thejordanresult.com

cleaning service near Bannockburn ..

In The News:

Learn how to set up Google Maps and Apple Maps on your phone to automatically remember where you parked. Step-by-step instructions for enabling location services and parking detection.

Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.

OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.

A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.

Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

How the Humble Ice Cube Made Business History

Small Business