Albertsons is an American grocery store chain that is based in Boise, Idaho. It has grown and is now spread across the nation. It offers all of the essentials that a grocery store has and more. Because it is a nationwide grocery store chain, it really does carry everything you might need.
Albertsons does sell dry ice but it may only be seasonally available. At one store we called it was priced at $1.49/lb but prices can vary. You don’t have to preorder it from Albertsons but it’s a good idea to call ahead to your local store and see if they have stock available before shopping.
While we know that you will be able to purchase dry ice at an Albertsons most of the time, it is important to know where to find it, how much it costs, and if your local Albertsons even carries it. Your new dry ice depot may be closer than you think!
How Much is Dry Ice at Albertsons
We know that Albertsons does carry dry ice, but so do many other grocery stores. Because you can find it in several places and you probably want to save money, it is important to know how much dry ice costs at Albertsons. If dry ice is sold at your local Albertsons, it will cost anywhere from $1 per pound to $3 per pound. At one location that we contacted, Albertsons sold dry ice for $1.49 per pound.
While it is usually on the cheaper end of the price spectrum, you should still be aware that it can get expensive. You can contact your local Albertsons and ask them about their specific pricing on dry ice to help you decide if you want to buy it there or look for another seller.
Where to Find Dry Ice in Albertsons?
Dry ice can be particularly dangerous, so any store that sells dry ice does not necessarily have it available for purchase right off the shelf. In fact, most stores keep it in a separate place and in special conditions to make it last as long as possible. Most stores have a special freezer that they use to keep the dry ice away from customers.
At Albertsons, the dry ice is locked up in the back and you have to ask for it at the register if you want to purchase any. When you go into an Albertsons, find an employee at a register and tell them that you want to purchase dry ice. It would be helpful to them, and you, to know how many pounds of it you want. They will then retrieve the amount of dry ice that you requested and bring it back to the counter to ring it up for you.
In some stores, you have to go to the customer service counter and purchase it. This setup is in place so any lines at the registers don’t get held up when the cashier has to leave and get the dry ice.
How to Find out if your Local Albertsons has Dry Ice for Sale
We have mentioned that not all Albertsons locations carry dry ice in store, so you should check if they carry dry ice before you go in. There are a couple of ways to do this, and it is important to exhaust all of your options when in search of dry ice, especially when it is in high demand.
The first way to find out if your local Albertsons has dry ice for sale is by looking on their website. They have a feature, like most grocery store websites, where you can enter your zip code and select a specific location. This way, you can select the Albertsons that you want to go to and see if they carry dry ice. Because this item is sold at the register, it might not be on their website with other items.
If you do not see dry ice on the website, you should call the location instead and ask them if they carry dry ice. Again, you should call the location that you plan on going to. You can ask the employee on the line if they carry dry ice and you can even ask for the specific price of it at that location. They can also tell you where to find it and where to ask for it, whether it is at the register or at a customer service desk.
Why Doesn’t Albertsons Always Have Dry Ice
One problem with trying to buy dry ice at any store is that it is not always available even if the store typically carries it. There are a few reasons why this might be the case and why you can’t seem to find dry ice anywhere!
The first reason that Albertsons might not have dry ice is that it is all sold out. This is usually only a problem during the fall and its festivities. During Halloween and the days leading up to it, it is popular to put dry ice in drinks so that they look spooky and smoky. This is fun, but with everyone doing that, there is a high demand for dry ice and your local Albertsons might run out!
Another reason for Albertsons not carrying dry ice is because it might be seasonal at your location. If dry ice is seasonal, it is probably not available after the fall season or a little later. Because demand is low outside of the fall season, many grocery stores do not want to carry it because it does not have a very long shelf life and they have to have new shipments of it come in every day.
Finally, the Albertsons near you might just not carry it at all. It might be a smaller location or they might only carry specific items, but some Albertsons locations do not carry dry ice at all. This is why it is so important to check their website or call in before going to purchase dry ice. If you don’t know if your Albertsons carries dry ice or not, you might make a trip to the store and come back empty-handed. (Source)