Hydration Innovation: Exploring Yellowstone Ice & Water

April 2024

article by jessica renstrom | photos by jamie blotske

Whether you're hosting a party, refreshing your office, or simply quenching your thirst, Yellowstone Ice & Water has you covered.

Locally owned and operated, Yellowstone Ice & Water has been providing the Billings community with quality ice and water for 30 years. Initially started by Kevin Olson, the company has evolved and grown with the community it serves. Scott and Jason, owners of Yellowstone Ice and Water since 2018, believe in the value of community and locally source everything they can. “We take a lot of pride in what we do,” comments Jeff Deimling, General Manager. “If there’s ever an issue with a delivery or water cooler, our local team is ready to address it quickly and in person.”

Yellowstone Ice & Water’s range of products and services is comprehensive. The company provides a variety of ice, including cubed, block, and dry ice, as well as multiple types of water and bottle sizes. They deliver ice and water to homes and businesses in Billings and surrounding areas. Furthermore, Yellowstone Ice & Water offers equipment for rent, including water coolers, merchandisers, and even ice trailers and trucks for large events.

As the only water distributor in Billings with a distillery, Yellowstone Ice & Water has provided the community with distilled water even during recent shortages. In addition to distilled and purified drinking water, the company offers a third distinct water type: spring water. The spring water is collected from a spring in Red Lodge. “We have a tanker truck and haul back 5400 gallons of water at a time,” explains Jeff. “It’s filtered before it’s loaded in the truck. We filter again before treating it with UV light and then ozone to kill potential bacteria. Our spring water is lab-tested monthly and sampled for bacteria to ensure a safe food-grade product.”

The company’s commitment to safety and quality is unparalleled as a licensed small water system operator. “Both our ice and water facilities are FDA-approved, and our ice manufacturing is IPIA [International Packaged Ice Association] -certified, which is even more stringent than the FDA,” states Jeff. “We follow strict guidelines in manufacturing and distribution. We monitor the quality of our water every day, every facet you could possibly test. We sample monthly through Energy Labs and are regulated by DEQ [Department of Environmental Quality] for our procedures.” Their staff also completes continuing education courses to stay on top of the latest safety protocols and recommendations.

Schedule a tour of the impressive manufacturing process.

An exciting development for Yellowstone Ice & Water was opening its brand-new ice plant in April 2023. The semi-automated plant can produce about 140 tons of ice a day and expand by another 100 tons. During the hands-free manufacturing process, the ice is first moved to storage bins and then to the packaging room. With machines used to form, fill, and seal each bag, the plant can complete around 30 bags per minute. “Until you see it, it’s hard to describe,” states Jeff. Fortunately, members of the public can see this impressive manufacturing process in person during a tour of the facility. Interested? Call Yellowstone Ice & Water at 406.245.4120 to schedule a tour. To maintain the safety standards the company has in place, visitors need to fill out paperwork before the tour and wear a hair net within the facility.

During a tour of the new plant, you’ll see firsthand how quality and safety are top priorities for Yellowstone Ice & Water. “Everything we do is climate-controlled. The freezer, the floor, etc., are all temperature-controlled 24 hours a day,” states Jeff. “We are recording everything. If there was ever an issue, we would know exactly when and where.” This precision is evident when viewing the side of each date-coded bag and the numbers on every pallet, indicating where each shipment is headed. “It’s important for us to know where all of our products go as part of our IPIA certification,” Jeff explains. In addition to knowing the destination for their products, Yellowstone Ice & Water uses updated routing software that allows them to see how much product is on their trucks in real-time. This software, coupled with GPS monitoring of their trucks, is another way Yellowstone Ice & Water goes above and beyond to ensure high-quality products and exceptional customer experience.

Ready to try some of their water for yourself? You can find Yellowstone Ice & Water’s products in many gas stations and grocery stores throughout our area, including Albertsons, Sam’s Club, Costco, and WinCo Foods. If you find yourself downtown, stop by their storefront to purchase any of their products. If you visit outside regular business hours, take advantage of their 24/7 automatic ice and water vending machines. Or if you’d rather not leave the comfort of your home, call them to set up a delivery. With many ways to find their products, Yellowstone Ice & Water makes it easy to stay hydrated this spring.

Originally printed in the April 2024 issue of Simply Local Magazine

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Jessica Renstrom

Jessica is a Billings local with a background in marketing and a degree in Communications. She loves being a mom and soaking up time with her young children, especially during the holidays! You can catch her feeling festive and listening to Christmas music basically every day in December.

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