{"id":77329,"date":"2026-08-19T16:57:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:57:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2026\/08\/19\/how-drakes-iceman-helped-toronto-business-to-stardom\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T16:57:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:57:56","slug":"how-drakes-iceman-helped-toronto-business-to-stardom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2026\/08\/19\/how-drakes-iceman-helped-toronto-business-to-stardom\/","title":{"rendered":"How Drake&#8217;s Iceman helped Toronto business to stardom"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> \n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header aria-label=\"Beginning of Article\" class=\"article-header article-header--feature\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\" data-aqa=\"nav-breadcrumb\">\n<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">News<\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">Retail &amp; Marketing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"article-header__detail\">\n<div class=\"article-header__detail__texts\">\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\">For 40 years, the Silva family toiled in relative anonymity making and delivering ice. That all changed when the biggest rapper in the world came knocking<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<p><span class=\"published-date__since\">Published Aug 19, 2026<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"updated-date__since\">Last updated 5\u00a0minutes ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"published-date__word-count\">9 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"featured-image\" data-aqa=\"featured-image\"><picture class=\"featured-image__ratio\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;h=675&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=gmdpX7zyY9R29gFBQtUp7g,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;h=1350&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=LyYLaEVBXJ0KafZkWdrtxQ 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;h=675&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=bcx6Hei4BHkREr44W4BpKg,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;h=1350&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=LN8CvmtqQ7QSGDUPedA9HQ 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;h=432&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=eIrVFLvbbVzEX6DaTmVeZw,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;h=864&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=osDDO6qgzRUor_eQ8_zaiA 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;h=432&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=6f40RpJDTdB1bpwvDKIEzg,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;h=864&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=aBnxD4u8Weu3_2Qx-m6Tvg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;h=563&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=ZKJGI2LL4HhkQwe73dvNag,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-0818-ph-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;h=1125&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=O6M8ba0_ZTqGTCmc7xZHxw 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"featured-image__caption image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">John Silva and his son, Jake Silva at their business, the Iceman, in Concord, Ont.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Peter Power\/Postmedia News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>It is hard to pinpoint the exact date John Silva decided to name the ice company he started out of his parents\u2019 variety store in downtown Toronto the Iceman, but his path from inspiration to incorporation was abundantly clear.<\/p>\n<p>Whenever he would pull up in his truck, say, to a restaurant, gas station or hotel with his latest ice delivery, someone would blurt out some version of \u201cThe iceman is here\u201d or \u201cAre you the iceman?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border ad__section-border--story article-content__ad-group ad_counter_2\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment9647296759911383618660828899704832\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 2<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-2\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[6,6],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"6x6\" data-ad-loc=\"2\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[6,6],[320,50],[300,50],[300,250],[300,600]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-2\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:600px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded 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class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><span class=\"identity-divider__text\">or<\/span><span class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"identity-footer identity-screen__content m-x-0 p-x-0 col-sm-6 col-md-12\"\/><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was always iceman-this and iceman-that, so I got the name from there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"js-widget-content article-content__widget-group article-content__widget-group--content-slot6 article-content__widget-group--newsletter-slot\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-widget__new-story-page fp-execsummary background--primary-light-gradient\" aria-labelledby=\"FinancialPostPosthaste1665921363599458520790272783155200\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-aqa=\"widget-newsletter\" data-newsletter=\"single\" data-newsletter-component=\"\" 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Weekdays by 9 a.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__body__new-story-page\">\n<div class=\"js-replace-main__new-story-page\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__disclaimer__new-story-page text-size--tiny\">By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"js-submit-success\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitSuccessFP_ExecSummary\">\n<p>Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">A welcome email is on its way. If you don&#8217;t see it, please check your junk folder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page newsletter__feedback--last\">The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page js-submit-error\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitErrorFP_ExecSummary\" style=\"margin-top:8px\">We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Despite niche celebrity status, the Iceman toiled in relative anonymity for the better part of 40 years, making, selling and delivering ice to street festivals, concert venues, hotels, restaurants, food processing companies and construction giants throughout the Greater Toronto Area.<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">In other words, Silva was plenty busy before Drake briefly entered his life, not to mention his ice distribution centre, dressed as an Iceman employee in July 2025.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--full_width\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=qGJ92kN_5HJ1Dd-GtJc0eQ,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=kntdnSKZ4pDQOxktofS0Ng 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=v-AMexZBipJCLnXMkbFqzA,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=CkSp4_8KvzC5J0e0YV5wAQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=rDM_BT_8HmlaEll7gN-Q2w,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=CcF-Jh1-NRcdmDzgslsmKA 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=ZJEk2oNZxlB2FXwXiIVi-w,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=NCLPjvUzQ7a0QhvKbSmxZg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=QHFeq0j5eGTimgdvnoldXA,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=ifpjADrnf3_OLIhGg39ugA 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"John Silva and his son, Jake Silva in the ice warehouse. The Iceman does about $15 million in revenues annually and the company is currently building a $7-million ice plant that will more than double its production capacity.\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=ybkG_o1MfgGg8qJ7VZc-3Q\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=ybkG_o1MfgGg8qJ7VZc-3Q,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman-3-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;sig=2NW_jx62CYEYEyA37ZhN_w 2x\" height=\"806\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">John Silva and his son, Jake in their factory in Concord, Ont. The Iceman does about $15 million in revenues annually and the company is building a $7-million ice plant that will more than double its production capacity.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Peter Power\/Postmedia News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The international rap icon picked up a clipboard and a tape measure and measured an ice block. He heated some food in the lunchroom microwave, rapped a few lines and then drove off behind the wheel of an Iceman delivery truck, turning laps on nearby streets before he parked the vehicle and disappeared into the night.<\/p>\n<p>The 58-minute video livestream was part of an elaborate, months-long promotional run-up to the May release of Drake\u2019s latest chart-topping album called, yep, Iceman.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embedded-video\" data-aqa=\"embed-video\">\n<div class=\"video-placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Loading...\" height=\"64\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.9.1\/websites\/images\/common\/icon-spinner-animated.svg\" width=\"64\"\/><\/div>\n<div fallback=\"\">\n<div class=\"video-fallback\">\n<p>We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"video-controls\" type=\"button\">Play Video<\/button><\/div>\n<p>Drake\u2019s musical appeal may be a mystery to those with a taste for classic rock, but he is a modern John, Paul, George and Ringo to many. His superstardom is global and it can make the kids go a little loopy, as evidenced by the foolhardy bunch who risked life and limb pursuing him in the ice truck on foot and bicycle through the streets of Toronto, in addition to the billion-plus Spotify downloads the songs from Iceman have accrued to date.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The outpouring of love for Drake has led wags to declare it the Summer of the Iceman. Of course, every summer for the past 39 years has been the Summer of the Iceman for the original Iceman, one who earned a pretty penny as a teenager working weekends as a drummer in a Portuguese wedding band.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--half_width_right\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=0SzH4qcHKffWW70xnW7dvA,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=AZxRYbPUA3dS_fCG7B22TQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=oHmncCdizwjE-JFvtq-vDQ,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=U3pAcuvW-apDU_d4Flt-jQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=hcT-EcA6xxjeEjyDrurFxA,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=pdQc6iV0xYkOQxN1o9J_Kw 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=8oakXA330dZ3pPOJo86p0A,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=aqHrvJEguTzA53bFw2376g 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=GEjQgrX8RAsWZJGBxOZ4jw,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=QyAudtYL6bWgOD4Fgs4sog 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=UtNL8Sm0bMseG2u4l_LV-A\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=UtNL8Sm0bMseG2u4l_LV-A,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/drake-new.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;sig=fZMH-Qhl8YeAYIos_P1ySA 2x\" alt=\"Drake\" height=\"1105\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Downloads of Drake\u2019s Iceman songs have hit a billion on Spotify.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Amy Sussman\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Silva is not a \u201cbig rap guy,\u201d but he is an ice guy consumed year-round by the affairs of a family business that has a factory in the suburbs capable of producing 250,000 pounds of ice per day. The Iceman does about $15 million in revenues annually and the company is currently building a $7-million ice plant that will more than double its production capacity in the near term, while leaving room to add even more capacity long term.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a lot of stuff going on,\u201d Silva said.<\/p>\n<p>Typically, it is the sort of stuff that does not involve Drake. On the night of the livestream, the Iceman\u2019s internet server crashed due to a surge in traffic. Its voicemail was flooded with messages from fans, presumably calling in the hopes that a certain rapper might answer.<\/p>\n<p>He did not, but the phone has kept ringing at Iceman headquarters, with most callers looking to buy ice. It is a business grounded upon the principles of impermanence. Ice gets made, ice melts, a fleeting property not unlike the nature of fame. One day you are on top; the next day you are driving an ice truck for a living.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"article-content--column\">\n<p>What has been really cool \u2026 is that Drake put us on an international stage, and we&#8217;ve been able to sort of stand on the shoulders of his celebrity<\/p>\n<p>Jake Silva<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But both Drake and the Iceman have shown remarkable staying power in their respective professions.<\/p>\n<p>Silva\u2019s eldest son, Jake, joined the company 15 years ago, and he works closely with his 64-year-old father. It is hard to gauge the financial impact of the business\u2019s brush with an international celebrity, he said, but it has created a previously unimagined revenue stream, selling $300 Iceman jackets, $75 hoodies and $60 t-shirts online.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--half_width_left\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=h9qJMl0nOwy-aCANsnnXXQ,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=_3TiryyF9HIi3bqbpKWMAA 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=IpTl8uwviG_WgKYQyoHWdw,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=Y-lnFwH1asJvKrIix8kSPw 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=T5ifkhz705gzRdtENepWuw,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=55oWmqFyhSaNa8rw-nxECg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=h4mkI6SDHOA8zdogJDyEWA,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=eTUrg_velWnur4Ar8uwJ3A 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=wPH9vcsIbNnYU_ZAwxiP1g,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=XLb4lfEFHZWhLhJTktOtHw 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jake Silva wears an Iceman hoodie while discussing a shipment with a driver.\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=IV7ELZ5sqjTCmlWHQeHxZQ\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=IV7ELZ5sqjTCmlWHQeHxZQ,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jake-news.jpg?location=half_width_left&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;sig=WDH2_t8TMLkNgHsblybYlA 2x\" height=\"1262\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Jake Silva wears an Iceman hoodie in the factory where the temperature is kept at 11 C.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Peter Power\/Postmedia News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cPeople started calling us from all over the world asking for our merch, but we are in the ice business, not the merch business, and so at the time we didn\u2019t have any merch to sell,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>They have since sold 300 Iceman jackets and about 500 t-shirts. There is a loose idea to do another run of jackets come fall, but the younger Silva has not had time or energy to give it much thought yet. Summer is the high season for ice, not Drake-related side hustles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur core customers might be Drake fans \u2014 I don\u2019t know \u2014 but I don\u2019t think that weighs into their decision-making in terms of who is going to provide them with ice for the season,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The confluence of a Toronto legend and a small Toronto business of the same name was a \u201cmatch made in heaven,\u201d David Soberman, a marketing professor at the Rotman School of Management, said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDrake has been really quite brilliant in the way he does things, and this is really smart because it is taking product placement to a whole new level,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Soberman has some suggestions for the Iceman to squeeze some additional nickels out of its Drake connection.<\/p>\n<p>First, hire a hungry, young, business school grad and task them with doing a deep dive analysis of the livestream shoot to look for ways, beyond hoodies, to monetize and merchandise the Drake moment, then give them a 12-month contract to sell as much Iceman-branded stuff as humanly possible.<\/p>\n<p>His other suggestion would be to consider expanding the ice business into new territories, leveraging the company\u2019s elevated profile.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDrake is one of the two or three biggest pop music stars in the entire world,\u201d he said. \u201cThe benefit of something like this is not necessarily in terms of massively tripling or doubling your existing business, but it is about creating opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Silvas were already planning for new opportunities prior to getting a phone call, more or less out of the blue, from Drake\u2019s people.<\/p>\n<p>Canadians enjoy cold drinks, purchasing about $86.5-million worth of ice at retail in 2025, with 40 per cent of sales coming in July, August and September, according to Statistics Canada. The average American buys four bags of ice a year, typically between the Memorial Day weekend in May and Labour Day, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>However, the ice cubes bobbing around in cocktails are just the tip of the statistical iceberg. What the government numbers do not account for are things such as hummus. Industrial-scale hummus producers add ice to the hummus mixture, thus ensuring a smooth finished product.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--half_width_right\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=6xT1ufOHE_cY_MJGIqQIKw,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=XKqBhDmMm6C2SPZGFsdtgQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=t5PvZw1--esQh0sNadpCmQ,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=ENk1foJiNdh7Z7R7QAzRew 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=W5Z1_2BP7MUdS018aEzAdQ,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=CmyEZKckUQlZzME8HMCWQQ 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=DCkoDP1uJLGHJ3Q-CkI4IQ,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=51dHW4wX_l_YtBlLhNMaQg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=FtUgWUz_RBl7tXdmmuX_QQ,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=IsYRiaFFKPxjEIqZk3BgdQ 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"New ice fresh from the hopper drops into the bagging machine at the Iceman factory in Concord, Ont. Food processors and construction companies account for more than 50 per cent of the Iceman\u2019s business.\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=b63UAAHli5ff3RMv5tN-Uw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=b63UAAHli5ff3RMv5tN-Uw,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/icemachine-0819-ph.jpg?location=half_width_right&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;sig=0j_o3Ny94IxCjObsqSgrZA 2x\" height=\"665\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">New ice fresh from the hopper drops into the bagging machine. Food processors and construction companies account for more than 50 per cent of the Iceman\u2019s business.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Peter Power\/Postmedia News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Agri-businesses and independent farmers pack produce in ice for transport, and when outdoor temperatures creep above 25 C, construction companies add ice to cement-mixing trucks to prevent the cement from curing en route to the job site.<\/p>\n<p>Food processors and construction companies account for more than 50 per cent of the Iceman\u2019s business.\u00a0 In short, ice abounds, including in condominium towers being built.<\/p>\n<p>But the annual spike in demand for it during the summer triggers an equally annual and predictable industry-wide crisis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery summer, there is a shortage of ice,\u201d Jake Silva said.<\/p>\n<p>That is true in Toronto and across the northeastern United States. The players will sell to one another at wholesale prices when one company has surplus ice and another has a shortfall and an order to fill. But that\u2019s not ideal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a lot more economical for us to make our own ice,\u201d Silva said.<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">In the big picture, the demand for ice tracks population growth. More people mean more people buying ice, as well as more demand from hummus businesses, those building roads and concrete towers and so on. Hence, the Iceman\u2019s decision to invest in a new plant, since \u201csomebody has to make ice,\u201d Silva said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The old plant is in an industrial park near a highway ribboning across the top of Toronto. Two Iceman trucks were parked in the loading bay on a hot, early August morning. Their drivers sought relief in a sliver of shade near the vehicles.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--full_width\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=fO90UcWE3B6VlCQfhYShfw,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=OlIvtXbWOAB1NXxWacZE0w 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=PEgokxQBj4IGeysCPDJ6pg,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=zkGlNsZjZRiG47WPp-jvaA 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=r8O_qQviUsvpzF8OP_0Gjw,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=zqINHkbBgZDTOPZmRqxurw 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=EoOTfHqnwaWTmPHY-ZHx1Q,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=VD9xe9PDXjb5eJxbbb9P4g 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=joXvzZZfy6fxM6KWNIPNvg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=xgUoB_xXTwKgXhVKZ2BmhA 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An employee moves newly bagged ice onto pallets at the Iceman facility in Concord, Ont.\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=Y6WbZdvIVPqVQ5f-Xg972A\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=Y6WbZdvIVPqVQ5f-Xg972A,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman2-0818-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;sig=30E-sr4amnM4IL1ZR1Unmw 2x\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">An employee moves newly bagged ice onto pallets at the Concord factory.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Peter Power\/Postmedia News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Once upon a time, they said an Iceman truck was just another truck in a traffic-clogged city. These days, locals are liable to wave, smile, occasionally take photos and generally betray some flicker of a recognition when an Iceman truck rolls past, a refreshing change from the disinterested, occasionally irate Toronto driver look the ice guys had been accustomed to.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Drake thing has been great exposure for the company,\u201d Evan Wheatley, a driver, said. \u201cPeople love seeing the trucks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Silvas have 50 employees. As far as family companies go, theirs reflects a harmonious working relationship in that father and son work closely, but have completely different roles within the company.<\/p>\n<p>John is a natural salesperson, with 40 years\u2019 worth of customer relationships to lean on, which could explain why his phone is constantly pinging. His son works on the production side and is overseeing the planning and construction of the new factory.<\/p>\n<p>Silva has another son, Jordan, who is a wig master and hair stylist with the Canadian Opera Company, while the boys\u2019 mom, Josie, is retired and spends her summers in Portugal, wanting nothing to do with a business that does not stop from May to September.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>On that note, John and Jake appeared remarkably fresh-faced and suitably attired in Iceman-branded clothing following an August long weekend where any plans they may have had were derailed by an iceman\u2019s worst nightmare: one of the icemakers broke down.<\/p>\n<p>If there is a truism about ice, Jake Silva said, it is that it is a hard substance, and it \u201cbreaks stuff.\u201d Much of his job involves fixing that stuff.<\/p>\n<p>If there is another truism about ice, it is that not all ice is created equal.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--full_width\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=AW_mLFOTIGkyjvmSpVYp6w,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=0Efh_KCejCwoJmavFka31A 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1200&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=kEURbguF2iq2I3nFtUas5g,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2400&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=uh2po-gcLVP2UCtUvlKlHA 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=n9QRp9PNXhnMgNHSVA6nzg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=m0oxGIld52GLlk_JIwJdpw 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=KoeZZvOHDwux9njHyakX_A,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=fcYe2LM_QJKAeAMWFhipUw 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=k2MLXsO3iMaukKCEPtdX_Q,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=Yn6yFuHbjNaGqVdUJdcsog 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"data:,1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fresh bulk ice sits in the hopper before being channelled into the bagging room at the Iceman. Every bag of ice that rolls off the assembly line begins with a single ingredient: City of Toronto water.\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=P9cwZzj1q7K4ROTODrqokw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=375&amp;sig=P9cwZzj1q7K4ROTODrqokw,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iceman4-0819-ph.jpg?location=full_width&amp;quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=750&amp;sig=Pss0FmYJqPxcrRNlBQvrZA 2x\" height=\"709\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Fresh bulk ice sits in the hopper before being channelled into the bagging room at the Iceman. Every bag of ice that rolls off the assembly line begins with a single ingredient: City of Toronto water.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Peter Power\/Postmedia News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ice is regulated as a food product north and south of the border. Iceman is one of 11 Canadian companies belonging to the Canadian branch of the Florida-based International Packaged Ice Association, which has 400 members and a mission to \u201cdrive growth\u201d and uphold the highest safety standards.<\/p>\n<p>There is good reason for this: lead, bacteria and all kinds of nasty stuff have been detected in ice by university researchers over the years, including in a 2016 occupational and public health study by Toronto Metropolitan University that examined ice samples from 40 Toronto restaurants. Close to eight per cent of the samples contained bacteria.<\/p>\n<p>Every bag of ice that rolls off of the Iceman assembly line begins with a single ingredient: City of Toronto water. The ice is screened by a metal detector and then gets mixed and turned by a corkscrew-shaped device known as a \u201csnow reel.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The reel weeds out excess snow and ice slivers from each batch of ice, enhancing overall ice quality, since, as Silva explained, ice should emerge from a bag in cube form, not in a frozen block that requires being slammed on pavement before being deposited in a cooler.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHaving good cubes is a detail that we try and pay attention to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The temperature inside the factory is kept at 11 C. That\u2019s cold, but not so cold that the younger Silva can\u2019t tour the place in a pair of shorts, sneakers and an Iceman hoodie. His father was dressed more for sales calls \u2014 long pants and loafers. Both outfits spoke to the chill nature of the family\u2019s business.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat has been really cool, and I don\u2019t say this lightly, is that Drake put us on an international stage, and we\u2019ve been able to sort of stand on the shoulders of his celebrity and ride the wave of this project that he is working on,\u201d Jake Silva said.<\/p>\n<p>Presumably, at some point, that wave is going to peter out, but the original Iceman is not going anywhere.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t see myself ever retiring,\u201d John Silva said. \u201cWhat would I do? I love my job; I work seven days a week.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\"><em>\u2022 Email: joconnor@postmedia.com<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__share-group article-delimiter\" data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" data-evt=\"beforeunload\" data-evt-typ=\"page_scroll\">\n<p>Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n<br \/>How Drake&#8217;s Iceman helped Toronto business to stardom<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>2026-08-19 16:57:56<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links News Retail &amp; Marketing For 40 years, the Silva family toiled in relative anonymity making and delivering ice. That all changed when the biggest rapper in the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":77330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77329\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/77330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}