Omar Knedlik
Encyclopedia
Omar Knedlik was the inventor of the ICEE
frozen drink. He was born and raised a poor farm boy in Barnes, Kansas
in 1916. Knedlik was a World War II
veteran
who bought his first ice cream
shop after the war. He owned several hotels before moving to Coffeyville, Kansas
, where he became the owner of a Dairy Queen
in the late-1950s. Knedlik did not have a soda fountain, so he served semi-frozen bottled soft drinks. He found that they were immensely popular, so he worked with a Dallas
company to develop the ICEE machine. It took him five years to replicate the consistency in slushy soft drinks. In the mid-1960s, the first ICEE machines were sold in the United States
.
In 1965, 7-Eleven
bought some of the machines, calling its version the Slurpee
. Knedlik and his family received royalty
checks for about 17 years until his patent
expired. He moved his family from Coffeyville to the bigger nearby town of Joplin, Missouri
in 1983, when Knedlik developed kidney
problems and needed dialysis
. He died at age 73 in 1989.
The ICEE Company
The ICEE Company is a beverage company located in Ontario, California, USA. Its flagship product is the ICEE, which is a frozen carbonated beverage that comes in various fruit and soda flavors. ICEE also produces other frozen beverages, and Italian ice pops under both the ICEE and Slush Puppie...
frozen drink. He was born and raised a poor farm boy in Barnes, Kansas
Barnes, Kansas
Barnes is a city in Washington County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 159.-Geography:Barnes is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 152...
in 1916. Knedlik was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
who bought his first ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
shop after the war. He owned several hotels before moving to Coffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville is a city situated along the Verdigris River in the southeastern part of Montgomery County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,295...
, where he became the owner of a Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen, often abbreviated DQ, is a chain of soft serve and fast food restaurants owned by International Dairy Queen, Inc, who also owns Orange Julius and Karmelkorn. The name "Dairy Queen" is taken from the name of their soft serve product, which the company refers to as "Dairy Queen" or...
in the late-1950s. Knedlik did not have a soda fountain, so he served semi-frozen bottled soft drinks. He found that they were immensely popular, so he worked with a Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
company to develop the ICEE machine. It took him five years to replicate the consistency in slushy soft drinks. In the mid-1960s, the first ICEE machines were sold in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1965, 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
bought some of the machines, calling its version the Slurpee
Slurpee
A Slurpee is a flavored frozen drink sold by 7-Eleven. In 1967, 7-Eleven licensed the product from the ICEE Company, and began selling it as the Slurpee.-Slurpee history:Machines to make frozen beverages were invented by Omar Knedlik in the late 1950s...
. Knedlik and his family received royalty
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
checks for about 17 years until his patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
expired. He moved his family from Coffeyville to the bigger nearby town of Joplin, Missouri
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
in 1983, when Knedlik developed kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
problems and needed dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
. He died at age 73 in 1989.