Quick answer: In Richmond, VA, the best place to buy Italian ice in bulk is from a local handcraft supplier like Good Vices. We sell pints ($5), half gallons ($15), and 3-gallon tubs ($60) — 100% vegan, allergen-free, and made with real fruit. $100 minimum, 7-day lead time. Below: how to choose a size, what bulk Italian ice actually costs, and how to skip the national-supplier pitfalls.
Who buys Italian ice in bulk?
Most bulk Italian ice buyers fall into a handful of categories:
- •Restaurants putting a dairy-free dessert on the menu
- •Ice cream shops rounding out their case with a vegan option
- •Breweries, coffee shops, and bars adding a low-overhead cold treat
- •Schools and PTAs running field days and fundraisers
- •Swim teams and pool clubs stocking the concession stand
- •Caterers and event planners sourcing for weddings and corporate events
- •Hotels and event venues offering banquet or pool-deck dessert service
If you're in any of those buckets in the Richmond area, this guide is for you.
What sizes does bulk Italian ice come in?
There are three sizes that cover 95% of use cases:
Pints (16 oz)
The smallest "bulk" unit. Pints are ideal if you want to sell pre-packed retail units — freezer cases at a deli, a takeout dessert option, or gift sets. A pint typically yields about 3 servings if scooped, or sells as one retail unit.
At Good Vices, pints are $5 (single flavor) or $8 (swirl) wholesale.
Half gallons (64 oz)
The workhorse size for restaurants and shops. A half gallon yields about 8 two-scoop servings and fits comfortably in most ice-cream cases.
At Good Vices, half gallons are $15 (single flavor) or $18 (swirl) wholesale.
3-gallon bulk tubs
The size you want for events, schools, swim teams, and high-volume scoop bars. A 3-gallon tub yields about 30 two-scoop servings and is what most caterers actually order.
At Good Vices, 3-gallon tubs are $60 (single flavor) wholesale. This is the format most people mean when they ask about a "bucket of Italian ice."
What about 5-gallon buckets?
A lot of buyers Google "5 gallon italian ice" or "5 gallon bucket of italian ice." Honestly, the 3-gallon tub is usually a better unit — it's easier to scoop down to the bottom, easier to fit in standard freezer space, and rotates faster on the line. For very high-volume operators with dedicated freezer space, we can produce in larger custom sizes; reach out for a quote.
How much does bulk Italian ice cost?
Here's the math on a 3-gallon tub at Good Vices:
- •Tub price: $60 wholesale
- •Servings per tub: ~30 (2-scoop servings)
- •Retail price: $6 per cup is standard
- •Tub revenue at retail: ~$180
- •Gross margin per tub: ~$120 (3× return)
That's better than what most national suppliers can offer because we don't bake in massive distribution costs.
A typical first order:
| You order | Cost | Sells for | Gross profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 3-gallon tubs | $120 | ~$360 | $240 |
| 5 × 3-gallon tubs | $300 | ~$900 | $600 |
| 10 × 3-gallon tubs | $600 | ~$1,800 | $1,200 |
Why buy from a local Italian ice supplier instead of a national one?
You can get Italian ice through national food distributors (Sysco, US Foods, Restaurant Depot) and you can also order frozen DTC. Both have a place. But for a Richmond business, a local handcraft supplier wins on three things:
1. Ingredient quality. We use real fruit. Most national bulk Italian ice is corn-syrup-based with artificial flavoring — and your customers can taste the difference.
2. Allergen safety. We run an allergen-free facility. No dairy, gluten, nuts, or eggs anywhere on site. That's a real differentiator if you're serving at schools, weddings, or hospitals.
3. Flexibility. Custom flavors, white-labeling, recurring delivery, last-minute reorders — none of that exists with a giant distributor. With us, you text Omar.
How to order wholesale Italian ice from Good Vices
The whole process is built to take less than 5 minutes:
1. [Go to our wholesale page](/wholesale) and pick your sizes and flavors
2. Upload a completed Virginia Form ST-10 (sales tax exemption — required for wholesale in VA) and your business license
3. Submit the order with a delivery date at least 7 days out
4. We confirm within 24 hours with final pricing and delivery details
Minimum order is $100. For orders $500+, we can also do custom flavors and white-label packaging.
Where we deliver
We're based in Richmond and deliver throughout the metro at no extra charge: the City of Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, and New Kent counties. For larger accounts elsewhere in Virginia (Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Northern VA), we can quote delivery — contact us with your zip code and standing volume.
FAQ
Can I get Italian ice cups wholesale?
Yes — for events and pop-ups, we can pre-portion pints and half gallons. Pre-scooped retail cups are part of our catering service.
Is "water ice" the same as Italian ice?
Yes. "Water ice" is just the Philadelphia / Mid-Atlantic name for Italian ice. Same product, same ingredients — read our full breakdown of Italian ice vs water ice vs sorbet vs gelato.
Do you sell Italian ice cups individually for retail?
For one-off retail, see our schedule for where the truck is parked today. For volume retail or wholesale freezer-case product, that's the wholesale page.
How fast can I get a first order?
7 days minimum — that's how long it takes to handcraft a wholesale batch. Larger or custom-flavor orders may need 10–14 days.
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