Marketing and all things related

Yes, you laughed when restaurants first tried to sell you bottled water years ago. But now, US consumers are drinking 26.1 gallons of bottled water per person every year. And the category is still growing while consumption of soft drinks declines. So you cannot be surprised to learn that the next hot product category is designer ice cubes. Okay, so they are not really designer ice cubes, but prepackaged, purified and upscale ice. And we are not talking about those bags of fuzzy and awful tasting cubes from the cooler outside the gas station. We are talking individually wrapped, spring water cubes, untouched by human hands. At least two companies are offering such products. AquaIce of Dublin, Ohio is offering a box with four trays of 12 cubes each for $ 3.99. Oh, and you can purchase lemon and lime flavored ice as well, from a few Ohio stores. Ice Rocks from Tampa, Florida offers another 48 cube product and promotes their ice as better tasting and free of any bacteria that lingers in frozen tap water. So here’s the deal. Your ice tea is not trendy until you add designer ice cubes. But you must let guest serve themselves from the containers, naturally. Photo Credit: The Wall Street Journal