“Smart Ice Maker That Makes Even Ice Taste Better”… Korea’s First to Introduce an Unmanned System
Established in 1999 for the purpose of producing modules for ice makers, Korea Nakajo Co., Ltd. is a specialized manufacturer of ice makers that make ice taste better. It is also an eco-friendly company committed to carbon neutrality and environmental protection in response to climate change. In 2019, the company ushered in a new era for the domestic ice maker market by becoming the first in Korea to produce and sell dispenser-type ice shavers that are both hygienic and highly convenient.
Korea Nakajo’s dispenser-type ICEVAN is a smart ice maker equipped with advanced technology. It is compact and lightweight, designed to fit in limited spaces such as small cafés and unmanned cafés. With its one-touch dispensing and automatic cleaning functions, it allows for easy cleaning of the entire water supply line, ensuring excellent hygiene. Furthermore, Korea’s first unmanned system capable of communicating with other machines such as coffee makers has been introduced. This innovation has contributed to increased sales in 24-hour unmanned stores that utilize kiosks and robots. In addition, after the COVID-19 pandemic, ICEVAN has been recognized for its superior quality in regions with stricter hygiene standards, such as Europe. Currently, ICEVAN ice shavers are being supplied to globally renowned coffee brands including Nestlé and Starbucks. Based on this success, demand that was once limited to specific countries has expanded to the United Kingdom, as well as across Northern and Eastern Europe. As of March this year, the company’s overseas order backlog reached USD 1.5 million, and it is expected to rise to USD 3 million by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the ICEVAN S, a snowflake ice shaver, is also enjoying strong domestic and international sales.
CEO Choi Jong Moon acquired Korea Nakajo in 2022 following a proposal from the M&A business team of IBK Industrial Bank of Korea. Since then, the company’s revenue has continued to grow steadily—from approximately KRW 7.6 billion in 2021 to KRW 9.1 billion in 2022, and KRW 13 billion in 2023. Remarkably, in just two years after the acquisition, the company achieved KRW 9 billion in domestic sales and KRW 4 billion in overseas sales. CEO Choi stated, “Our goal this year is to enter the U.S. market by expanding our overseas sales network, which has so far focused on Europe and Asia. We will continue to earn customer acclaim through new product launches, expanded production facilities, and top-quality service.”
Source: Chosun Ilbo
