At the world’s largest exhibition for users of the 3D imaging product that has already become a global standard, SolidWorks, one company stood out in Dassault Systèmes’ startup program (disclosure: I was a guest of Dassault in Houston) – Cold Snap. The reason is quite simple: they sell ice cream, and who doesn’t love ice cream?
What makes Cold Snap unique is that their ice cream can be made on the spot, fresh (meaning it doesn’t need to be stored frozen for long or bought as commercial ice cream from a supermarket freezer), in just two minutes, using capsules. Before diving into the story behind the Massachusetts-based company, I must address two claims that arose from many commenters on the TikTok video I made about them.
The first claim is that there is an Israeli company that does the same thing. The answer to this is both yes and no. It's true that an Israeli company from the Galilee also makes an ice cream machine using capsules, called Solo Gelato (marketed internationally as Solato). According to Cold Snap’s founder, who is familiar with his Israeli competitor, the difference lies in the technology: the Israeli company produces a slightly different product where the ice cream comes into contact with the machine. Matt Fonte, Cold Snap’s founder, claims that his product is designed so that the ice cream never touches the inside of the machine (everything remains in the aluminum canister, which serves as the ice cream capsule), and therefore, it does not require cleaning. Either way, both companies are disrupting the stagnant ice cream market, which has remained largely unchanged for many years.
The second claim from commenters is that the ice cream is full of chemicals because the capsules can be stored at room temperature without refrigeration. This claim is simply ignorant, uninformed, and a baseless accusation: their ice cream is made from naturally preserved ingredients, similar to shelf-stable whipping cream, and each capsule has a shelf life of six months without refrigeration. No chemicals, as some commenters claimed... But instead of focusing on negativity, let’s dive into the sweet topic.
@nivlilien חידוש מדהים של חברה בשם קולד סנאפ: גלידה מקפסולות, בדיוק כמו קפסולות של קפה. את הקפסולות אפשר להחזיק אפילו לא בקירור, אלא בארון והמכונה מצננת אותן בתוך דקות ומגישה לכם גלידה טריה! המחיר הוא 1950 דולר למכונה, והיא מיועדת כרגע בעיקר לשוק העסקי. #icecream #freshicecream #freshicecream #capsulescoop #capsul #theuplink #tech #techtok #3dexperience #3dexperienceworld2025 #3dxw25 @Dassault Systèmes #גלידה #גלידהמהירה #מכונתגלידה #מכונתגלידהנינג׳ה #קפסולות #החיבור ♬ original sound - nivli
How Does It Work?
According to Fonte, the idea for the capsule-based ice cream machine came from his daughters, who wanted to make ice cream but were frustrated with how long it took using existing ice cream machines. They came up with the idea of ice cream in capsules, similar to coffee capsule machines (specifically inspired by the Keurig machine, which is very popular in the U.S. and also makes hot beverages like hot chocolate and tea). Fonte, a serial entrepreneur, took it upon himself to turn his daughters’ idea into reality.
The principle behind the machine is incredibly simple (though execution was far from easy…): the machine uses the same cooling mechanisms as refrigerators and freezers but significantly enhanced, so it can chill the aluminum capsule from the outside without coming into contact with the ingredients inside. After the rapid cooling (two minutes), a special piercing mechanism, adapted to the capsule’s cylindrical shape, penetrates inside and pushes the frozen ice cream out using an internal piston lid, ensuring that no part of the machine touches the semi-frozen treat.
I asked Fonte if he had a "Eureka!" moment, but he explained that wasn’t the case at all. "The idea came from my daughters," he says. "Then I had to figure out how to create capsules that don’t require refrigeration, how to design the machine to stay clean without the milk touching internal components, how to enhance the cooling process, and how to develop a capsule that mixes the ingredients while freezing. Now comes the commercialization stage with new challenges related to rapid expansion. So no, there wasn’t a single 'Eureka!' moment—just a series of challenges to overcome. But that’s the fun part!" Fonte concludes.
Cold Snap’s machine can produce a variety of frozen treats: high-quality ice cream, non-dairy ice cream (oat-based), alcoholic ice cream, frozen coffee drinks, smoothies, frozen protein drinks (both dairy and non-dairy), frozen cocktails, and it is designed to operate for 70 years without maintenance, assuming five servings per day.
How Much Does It Cost?
Here comes the painful part—the machine’s main drawback: it’s not cheap. Initially not intended for the home market, the machine will cost nearly $2,000—$1,950, to be exact. Not cheap at all. Fonte says it is primarily intended for cafeterias, coffee shops, restaurants, and other businesses that want to serve ice cream without the need to invest in dedicated equipment or maintenance.
And what about the cost of the capsules? Not expensive at all. The company sells a pack of 12 servings for $45, or $3.75 per capsule—about 14 shekels per capsule. As mentioned, the target audience is not home users, although the company acknowledges the strong interest in the product. Current available flavors include vanilla, salted caramel, chocolate, mocha snapuccino, coffee ice cream, and non-dairy chocolate ice cream made with an oat base. The company is currently launching sales in the U.S. but definitely plans to expand globally with its innovative ice cream.