Ben Hewitt noticed that chilling wine in an ice bucket can be messy. So he teamed up with friend Stephen Bruner to design a product that would address the problem. The result? A BPA-free plastic icicle filled with a freezable gel, that is reusable and "virtually indestructible," as proven by Bruner's two-year-old son's play sessions.
The addition of Eric Miller, another partner, completed the team and Hewy Wine Chillers, their company, was ready to enter the gift market. With just the prototype in hand, the Corkcicle was a hit at their first trade show in the summer of 2010. "Finding the right trade shows was key," said Bruner.
A few months and a few trade shows later, the Corkcicle had won several awards, had sold several thousand units and are now in 2,000 retail outlets nationwide. A small number of restaurants have also expressed interest.
Some of the coolest toys this year are coming from small toymakers that are quietly revolutionizing how kids play today. Here are five companies that just may score the hottest toy of 2011.
