Motor City Ice

Installing the ice makers.

Cool business, hot partnership

By Sarah Kittle

When you think of essential businesses in Metro Detroit, ice might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But for Tyler Yaldo, an environmental entrepreneur with deep roots in the Chaldean business community, it’s the perfect opportunity.

Alongside his partners—Matthew and Brian Loussia, Devon Lousia, and Dennis Hickey of Value Wholesale, Yaldo’s father Ray and brother Gavin, plus Sahir Kas-Marogi and his sons Chris, Adam and Andrew—they are launching Motor City Ice, a new ice company designed to bring reliability, convenience, and innovation to local retailers, restaurants, and event spaces.

The idea, Yaldo says, was born from experience and timing. “Ice has always been one of those front runners in the retail-support industry,” he explains. “It sits right in front of stores. When people need it, they really need it. It’s important that stores have it when those moments come.”

Yaldo’s connection to the ice industry runs deep. His father operated America’s Ice in 1989, and Yaldo himself worked alongside Saad Abbo, the former owner of US Ice, gaining hands-on experience that would later inform his new venture. “I knew the business inside and out,” he says.

The formation of Motor City Ice came together quickly—but strategically. After a market gap emerged following US Ice’s sale, Yaldo initially planned to launch solo with venture capital backing. But when discussions began with Matt and Brian Loussia, long-time family friends and wholesale industry veterans, the decision was made to combine forces. “Instead of competing against each other with two Chaldean companies, we thought combining and making one strong Chaldean company was the best fit for the market,” Yaldo explains.

The partnership brings complementary strengths to the table: the Kas-Marogis bring retail experience, the Loussias bring grocery wholesale expertise, and Yaldo contributes deep operational knowledge, including his experience running Planet Environmental Solutions, a waste and recycling business servicing Michigan’s retail market. Together, they are building a full-scale manufacturing and distribution operation, with plans to serve liquor stores, convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations, and restaurants across Metro Detroit.

Technology and efficiency are central to the company’s strategy. Motor City Ice is developing proprietary systems for live inventory tracking, allowing them to refill customers’ ice supplies before they run out—a service Yaldo says will differentiate them in the region. The 30,000 square foot Oak Park facility, formerly the Forgotten Harvest warehouse on Greenfield, houses a 7,500-square-foot walk-in freezer and will support a fleet of 12 delivery trucks.

Sustainability is another key focus. Drawing on his environmental background, Yaldo is incorporating water-saving technologies, filtration systems, and fuel-efficient logistics to minimize the company’s carbon footprint. “Environmental protection can also turn into cost savings,” he notes. “The more fuel you save, the more money you save.”

Despite the excitement, Yaldo acknowledges the challenges ahead. “The biggest challenge this first year is growth—the speed of growth. The market’s going to want us so fast. We’re going to have to pace ourselves.” But the team’s experience and relationships in the business community position them well to meet demand.

Motor City Ice is poised to become more than just a local ice supplier. Yaldo sees it as a community-focused, Michigan-made venture. “We’re here for the Chaldean store owners, but obviously for everybody,” he says. “We understand their business. We understand their struggles. Reliability and convenience are key, and that’s what we deliver.”

For Motor City Ice, success isn’t just measured in sales or market share—it’s in knowledge, growth, and service. “When our freezers are in every single store in Metro Detroit, we’ll know we’ve succeeded,” says Yaldo. And beyond business metrics, the project excites him because of its impact on people: helping store owners serve their customers better and creating local jobs in the process.

Motor City Ice officially launched in June 2025 and expects to be fully operational by mid-2026. With a focus on reliability, innovation, and community, Tyler Yaldo and his partners are turning a simple commodity into a business built on trust, technology, and teamwork—proving that in Metro Detroit, even ice can be hot business.