Ice Seller in Java Proves One Can Become Extremely Wealthy, with Assets of Rp10 Trillion

History proves that being an ice seller is not a profession to be looked down upon, as it has created billionaires in the past. This phenomenon is not experienced by just a few people, but by many entrepreneurs who have successfully amassed fantastic wealth from the cooling business.

One of the most iconic figures is Tasripin, an entrepreneur whose assets are estimated to reach trillions of rupiah. So, what was his strategy and business journey that allowed him to achieve such immense riches?

In the 1900s, during the colonial era, Tasripin was one of the richest people in Indonesia. Upon his death, the newspaper De Nieuwe Vorstenlanden (8 September 1919) reported that his wealth amounted to 45 million guilders.

At that time, the price of one litre of rice was only 6 cents. This means he could buy 750 million litres of rice with 45 million guilders. If the price of one litre of rice today is around Rp13,000, then Tasripin’s wealth is equivalent to Rp9.7 trillion (almost Rp10 trillion) in today’s terms.

Such a large amount of wealth was obtained from selling ice. During Tasripin’s lifetime, ice was hard to obtain because there were no refrigerators or cooling machines. As a result, ice became a favourite because it was sold at a high price and always in demand.

Thus, anyone who created an ice factory could become extremely wealthy, including Tasripin. The daily newspaper de Locomotief (25 July 1902) reported that Tasripin’s ice factory was located in the Ungaran area, Semarang.

Then, eight years later, he established another ice factory in Semarang, specifically in the Petelan area. The newspaper de Locomotief (5 September 1910) reported that this ice factory became the largest there and was operated directly by the man born in 1834.

In addition to selling ice, Tasripin also diversified his business. Records show he owned a slaughterhouse and engaged in the buying and selling of animal hides. These two businesses further increased his wealth.

Every month, he earned 30-40 thousand guilders. It is no wonder that he owned many houses and land in Semarang. Similarly, his ice factories expanded further.

Tasripin’s journey as an ice entrepreneur ended in 1919 due to his death. Afterwards, the ice business was continued by his family, although their further traces are unknown. History then records him as the richest Indonesian from the indigenous group, who started from selling ice.

Many Other Ice Kings

Besides Tasripin, there were other successful and wealthy ice sellers. In the same era as Tasripin, there was an ice seller in Semarang named Kwa Wan Hong. He was not as rich as Tasripin, but Kwa is recorded in history as the ice king.

This is because Kwa was the one who created Indonesia’s first ice industry. In 1895, Kwa established an ice factory named Hoo Hien.

Historian Denys Lombard in Nusa Jawa Silang Budaya (1999) states that he made ice by utilising a chemical reaction, namely a mixture of salt and ammonia that turned water into ice.

The newspaper De Nieuwe Vorstenlanden (17 July 1901) reported that the existence of Kwa’s ice factory changed Indonesian people’s habits in consuming ice. Ice, which was previously expensive and hard to obtain, became more affordable.

People could then enjoy cold drinks. Thanks to Kwa, the first ice cream industry in the colonial era was born. It is not known exactly how much wealth he had, but he certainly possessed abundant assets. This is because he owned a lot of land, houses, and ice factories in various areas.

In Magelang, there was also an ice seller named Robert Chevalier. He consistently sold ice under the banner of NV. Magelangsche Ijs en Mineralwater Fabriek since 1920. Records show he owned three ice factories and became very wealthy, before finally going bankrupt when the Japanese arrived in 1942.

Tasripin, who had wealth of Rp10 trillion, along with Indonesia’s ice king Kwa Wan Hong and Robert Chevalier, prove that ice sellers can also succeed and become rich. Therefore, it is not right to belittle those who sell ice in various preparations by going around. Essentially, all lawful jobs are noble.