About Us
The Company
Thor Ice Chilling Solutions is a high-tech startup that specialises in developing, producing, and managing slurry ice systems for rapid chilling of fresh foods.
With the increasing demand for rapid and effective chilling of various fresh food products, Thor Ice has developed innovative slurry ice systems through years of extensive engineering, mechanical, biological and business knowledge and experience. The company’s cost-effective solution solves major cooling problems in poultry and seafood production, and has great potential for cooling of meat (i.e., beef, pork, lamb), fruits and vegetables (i.e., lettuce, cabbage, grapes etc.).
Since 2002, Thor Ice has been at the forefront of slurry ice cooling technology, developing the revolutionary and patented IceGun® system. Over 600 units have been sold to the seafood industry to ensure extended shelf life of fish, reducing waste, and giving local fishermen the opportunity to deliver their products to the market as fresh as possible.
Thor Ice has run extensive tests in collaboration with respected scientists, institutes, leading industry food processors, and industry partners in Europe. These tests have confirmed the system’s effectiveness in chilling and reducing bacteria growth, thereby extending shelf life and increasing food safety.
Our main objective is to improve the freshness, quality, and safety of food products while delivering environmentally friendly solutions to the food processing industry
Environmental Efforts
Effective cooling is the key to preserving product quality, reducing bacteria growth, ensuring food safety, extending shelf life, and reducing food waste. Climate change and global warming are further intensifying major existing issues producers are having with cooling their fresh products (i.e., poultry, fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables). There is a great need for natural eco-friendly solutions that replace the use of harmful CFC refrigerants.
Thor Ice Chilling Solutions is a high-tech startup that solves serious bacteria and cooling problems in food production. This unique method significantly reduces growth of harmful bacteria, thereby reducing food waste, extending shelf life, and ultimately ensuring food safety for the end-consumer. To produce the wet ice, Thor Ice’s solution was designed to use eco-friendly refrigerants, without any CFC gasses, and no harmful chemicals for bacteria reduction.
The company is committed and makes a strong effort to increase global food safety, reduce food waste, reduce the carbon footprint of food production, and create a more sustainable food system
Reduced growth of harmful bacteria followed by correct chilling extends product shelf life and reduces risk of bacteria spoilage, meaning a product will remain fresh for longer. This reduces food waste in production, retail and at the consumer-level.
The focus in recent years has been on applying the company’s technology to solve major cooling problems in poultry and seafood processing, and there is strong market pull for cooling solutions in the processing of different kinds of meat, as well as fruits and vegetables.
Partners & Investors
In 2019, Thor Ice was chosen by EIT Food to join their RisingFoodStars organisation, an elite group of highly innovative scaleups whose innovations have a high potential of transforming the food system. EIT Food is supported by a body of the European Union. It is Europe’s leading initiative for innovation with the aim of achieving a more healthy, trusted and sustainable food system.
In 2020, Thor Ice secured a Fast Track to Innovation (FTI) grant as part of the European Union’s largest research and innovation program, Horizon 2020. The grant builds on business-driven actions and industry involvement to get groundbreaking innovations to market and ensure quick business up-take.
Thor Ice has received substantial funding from the Icelandic Technology Development Fund to fully develop its systems as well as carry out extensive tests in industrial conditions to confirm the systems’ effectiveness. The fund is competitive and supports research and development for new innovations.
In 2020, Thor Ice received funding from the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (Nefco) for its international expansion. Nefco is an international financial institution that provides risk capital for the initial scale-up of Nordic green solutions globally and takes concrete actions to accelerate the green transition.
Thor Ice was nominated for the Nordic Council Environment Prize 2021. Every year, the Nordic nations each select a nominee representing their country, a company or individual who has demonstrated exemplary efforts in environmental protection and conservation, sustainability and climate action. The focus in 2021 was on sustainable food systems.