"According to Kansas Public Radio, the ICEE was invented by Omar Knedlik, a Kansas resident. He was a Dairy Queen franchise owner in the late 1950s, but didn't have a working soda fountain. Instead, he partially froze Coca-Cola in the bottle and sold it to customers, who loved the icy texture that formed in the freezer. Seeing a business opportunity, turned to a Texas company to develop a machine that could emulate the icy drink."
"The gas station 7-Eleven started using these machines to great success in 1965 (though they later renamed their own version to Slurpee), which is where the product's association with gas stations comes from. However, Knedlik's influence on the frozen beverage scene cannot be overstated, as almost every major fast food brand sells their own variation of an Slurpee today, and without him, the cold, slushie treats may not exist."
"According to ICEE's website, today, they are the number one frozen beverage brand across the world, selling over half a billion products yearly. As of the time of this writing, ICEE advertises 23 flavors on its site, including crossover flavors with other brands such as Froot Loops and Peeps. Yet the brand still offers cola flavor, hearkening back to the original frozen Coke beverages Knedlik served"
Omar Knedlik, a Kansas Dairy Queen owner in the late 1950s, partially froze Coca-Cola bottles after his soda fountain failed and sold the icy beverage to customers. He partnered with a Texas company to build a machine that reproduced the frozen drink and patented it in 1960, founding the ICEE company. 7-Eleven adopted the machines in 1965 and later marketed its version as the Slurpee. J&J Snack Foods acquired ICEE in 1987. ICEE now sells over half a billion frozen beverages annually, lists 23 flavors including crossovers like Froot Loops and Peeps, and continues to offer a cola flavor.
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