Chapman’s Ice Cream: A Canadian Success Story

The company is about more than just frozen desserts. Their story is one of innovation, resilience, community support, philanthropy, and sustainability

Nov 08, 2024

©© Photo by Audrey Bendus and Arthur Chapman, Some Rights Reserved

When you think about Canadian companies that truly embody community spirit and resilience, Chapman’s Ice Cream comes to mind.

What started as a small-town creamery in Markdale, Ontario, has grown into the largest independent ice cream maker in Canada.

Since 1973, Chapman’s has been a part of countless family celebrations and summer memories—all while staying true to its small-town roots.

A Humble Beginning in Markdale

In 1973, David and Penny Chapman bought an old creamery in Markdale, a village of about 1,500 people.

Back then, they had:

Four employees
Two delivery trucks
Fifteen flavours of ice cream, including Neapolitan and Orange Pineapple—flavours that are still loved today.

From those modest beginnings, Chapman’s grew steadily. By 2001, the company opened a distribution center in New Brunswick to serve Atlantic Canada.

Today, their 500,000 sq. ft. facilities and a fleet of 50 refrigerated trucks ensure their ice cream reaches Canadians from coast to coast.

Canada’s Favourite Ice Cream

Chapman’s frozen desserts are staples in freezers across the country.

Some of their most-loved products include:

French Vanilla Ice Cream: Canada’s top premium flavour, celebrated for its versatility. As Penny Chapman puts it:

“Canadians love vanilla ice cream because it goes with so many desserts and takes them from ordinary to great.”

Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich: This treat is so popular that Chapman’s makes enough every year for each Canadian to have one. They use 70 million cookies annually—enough to stretch across the country.

Chapman’s doesn’t stop at the classics. They’ve also introduced innovative flavours like:

Cotton Candy Checkerboard
Maple Crunch
Coffee Chip
Salty Caramel & Peanuts (No Sugar Added, Lactose-Free)
Canadian Blueberries & Cream Frozen Yogurt

And while not every idea is a hit—Dill Pickle Sorbet, anyone?—Chapman’s isn’t afraid to experiment!

Peanut-free and Allergen Friendly

The company is known for its commitment to accommodating special dietary needs.

They produce:

Peanut/nut-free
Gluten-free
Lactose-free
And no-sugar-added options.

Rising from the Ashes: The 2009 Fire

In 2009, disaster struck at Chapman’s.

A fire destroyed Chapman’s main production facility. But instead of letting it crush their spirits, the Chapmans rallied:

Every employee stayed on their payroll during the rebuild.
Limited production resumed within just seven weeks.
Their new facility, named “Phoenix,” was almost twice the size of the original at 160,000 sq. ft.

This resilience became a defining moment for the company, showing the same strength and care they bring to everything they do.

Commitment to Community

Chapman’s has always been about more than ice cream—they care deeply about their community:

Beavercrest Community School:
- When the local school faced closure in 2017, Chapman’s offered to buy the property and build a new school if necessary.
- Recently, they donated $500,000 to help fund new playgrounds, gym equipment, and audio-visual systems.
Markdale Hospital:
- The company pledged $1 million toward the new rural hospital.
Philanthropy:
- Chapman’s donated $20,000 towards the "Saugeen Hospice at Home" project at Saugeen First Nation #29.
- Donated $1 million to the construction of a palliative care facility in Owen Sound, named Chapman House.
- The company's employees also voluntarily contributed from their paychecks to support the ongoing operational costs of Chapman House.

Environmentally Friendly and Forward-Thinking

Chapman’s is also committed to sustainability:

They built their own wastewater treatment plant, capable of purifying 800,000 litres of water daily.
They use SFI-certified paper packaging and sustainably sourced ice cream sticks.
By focusing on Canadian ingredients, they support local farmers and reduce their environmental footprint.
Donating 25 cents from each box of Yukon Caribou Bars sold to support caribou protection efforts through the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).

The Rick Mercer Seal of Approval

Chapman’s even caught the attention of Rick Mercer, who featured their factory on his show, the Rick Mercer Report.

Mercer’s visit highlighted the company’s innovative processes and their uniquely Canadian approach to business.

Chapman’s was applauded for buying local and supporting Canadian businesses in all aspects of their operational and supply purchases.

Fun fact: Chapman’s uses local artists. My buddy produces a lot of the art for Chapman’s promotional material. Over the years he’s co-created all of the little Chapman’s characters featured on their products and their yearly promotional wall calendar that’s always been a big hit.

A Strong Commitment to Health and Safety

Their approach to cleanliness and food safety is comprehensive and meticulous, involving several key strategies:

Drainage System Management

Chapman's places significant emphasis on their drainage system:

All plant floor drains are documented and clearly identified with marked lists and maps.
Approximately 1,000 drains in processing, production, and storage areas are cleaned twice a week.
Non-manufacturing area drains are cleaned monthly.
Dedicated, trained staff clean drains five days a week across three shifts, using specific tools and equipment reserved solely for drain cleaning.

Thorough Cleaning Process

The drain cleaning process is rigorous and includes:

Manual debris removal
Water pre-rinsing
Brushing all surfaces with a chlorinated alkali detergent solution
Water post-rinsing
Flooding with a quaternary ammonium sanitizing solution

This meticulous process has been highly effective in eliminating the growth of Listeria bacteria in floor drains.

Clean-in-Place (CIP) System

Chapman's utilizes a central CIP system that:

Rinses, washes, and sanitizes equipment to ensure it's free from dirt, carried-over materials, and pathogenic bacteria.
Monitors and records cleaning time, temperature, flow rates, and chemical strength of detergents and sanitizers.
Is programmed to clean based on time or production runs, especially when switching products to prevent allergen cross-contamination.

Validation and Testing

Chapman's validates its cleaning programs through:

ATP (advanced testing system) swabs
Micro swabs
Allergen-specific swabs

These tests ensure the removal of allergenic material and bacteria from cleaned surfaces.

Advanced Hygiene Technology

Chapman's employs state-of-the-art hygiene technology:

The Attec Food Technology hygiene system, installed by Shawpak Systems, includes a boot cleaner that applies a cleaning agent and scrubs footwear.
Employees pass through turnstiles that dispense hand sanitizer.
Mandatory use of latex or non-latex gloves for handling all products and materials.

Visitor and Contractor Safety

The company's Health and Safety Policy extends to all visitors, suppliers, and contractors while on Chapman's premises.

I can attest to this. One of my first jobs as a teenager was working as an assistant to a refrigeration mechanic. I was the go-for and would often have to run to the truck for tools or supplies.

We did some work at the Chapman’s distribution plant and I remember the rigorous process involved to decontaminate every time I had to go out to the truck and re-enter the plant.

Everything was pressurized and air filters were everywhere to make sure that dust did not enter the plant. I remember being particularly entertained by the boot scrubbers.

By implementing these comprehensive measures, Chapman's ensures that their facilities maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and food safety.

Their commitment to "Safe, affordable and tasty—in that order" underscores the priority they place on maintaining a clean and safe production environment.

A Scoop of Resilience and Community

Chapman’s Ice Cream makes delicious desserts. And it’s also making a difference in its community, country and globally.

They’ve stayed true to their roots while growing into a national brand. Whether it’s donating to schools, helping hospitals, or supporting Canadian farmers, Chapman’s reflects the best of Canada in every scoop.

So next time you open a tub of Chapman’s ice cream, take a moment to appreciate the story behind it—a story of resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment to community.

Have a rad rest of your day!

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