ICEMEN FOOTCARE: reference for foot comfort

Founded in 1993 as a family business, Icemen actually traces its roots back much further, to World War II, with the production of handmade shoes at home. In 2000, it abandoned shoe production to focus on foot care products, based on the premise that comfort is the heart of a great shoe.”Since then, we’ve dedicated ourselves to developing insoles that offer the best possible comfort, tailored to different shoe molds and needs. We realized that a shoe must be comfortable above all, and we wanted to be the ones who support that comfort from the inside,” says Mr Cahiz Er, representing the current generation of the Icemen family.

Your business includes insoles, shoe care products and accessories (shoe horns etc.): how did you develop such a diversified range of products?

“After we stopped producing shoes, our long-time customers—our “masters” in the trade—began showing interest in the insoles we were producing. Over time, they started requesting additional shoe-related accessories that were hard to find on the market. Our growth has always been customer-driven: they trust us, and we respond to their needs by developing new, high-quality products that fill gaps in the market”

What are your main markets today?

“Our core market remains the shoe industry—it’s where we were born and raised. As comfort remains our guiding principle, we are increasingly focusing on the medical sector. Pharmacies and healthcare providers have started to prefer our products for their ergonomic and supportive qualities. We’re currently developing new footcare products that target specific areas of the foot needing support, with a strong focus on medical applications”

You have participated for the second time in Expo Riva Schuh in Riva del Garda: why did you choose a finished product fair like this one?

Not attending Expo Riva Schuh in previous years was a missed opportunity. This century-old fair is one of the best platforms to connect with shoe retailers and end-users. Our products belong in shoe shops, and this expo is a key way for us to meet the right customers from all over the world. With over 20 years of experience in local and international trade fairs, we have visited and taken part in many events, but Expo Riva Schuh stands out in the trade fair scene: it attracts high-quality visitors who know exactly what they are looking for, and this makes it a precious tool.  At Expo Riva Schuh we meet buyers from large chain shops with over 10 outlets, as well as re-establish relationships with long-standing partners. In addition to the fair in Riva del Garda, we participate in more than six fairs a year, including AYMOD, AYSAF, EXPOMED and other local fairs”.

What are your future plans?

“Our vision is to expand the Icemen brand and product range, first across Europe and then globally. We aim to increase brand recognition and participate in as many fairs as possible to meet new partners and introduce more people to the comfort of Icemen products.The company aiming to make “Icemen” a go-to name for foot comfort around the world”.