Chapman's Ice Cream Plant Burns

Chapman's Ice Cream is the largest independent ice cream company in Canada. The Chapmans, then a young married couple, grew it from a small creamery they bought in Markdale, Ontario, in the middle of, well, nowhere, in 1973, They've stayed in Markdale all these years, giving the town a major presence.

And the reason I'm talking about an ice cream company is that it makes several lines of specialty ice creams. Specialty audiences include us. It's no sugar added line is also lactose-free. Lactase is added to the ice cream to reduce the lactose. And the list of flavors is delicious and outrageous to Americans who barely can find anything more than vanilla. Chapman's makes lactose-free ice cream in Black Cherry, Butterscotch Ripple, Dutch Chocolate, Maple Walnut, and Neapolitan, as well as Vanilla. In addition, they have no sugar added, lactose-free Fudge Bar and Vanilla Sandwich novelties. Plus water ice and sorbets.

Which makes the news that Chapman's main plant has burned down so sad. A nice summary can be found in an article from the Manitoba Co-operator which reported that:

A historic southern Ontario creamery that housed Canada's largest independent ice cream manufacturer has been destroyed by fire, Toronto-area media reported Friday.

Chapman's Ice Cream produced ice cream and dairy-free alternatives for markets across Canada in the 150-year-old building at Markdale, about 90 km west of Barrie. ...

Chapman's has already pledged to rebuild at Markdale, CTV said.

A note on the company's website home page Friday said Chapman's "will be conducting business as per usual. Your continued support is important to us as we move forward."

On its site, the company has previously said "we'll never outgrow the community of Markdale, Ont. in which we live and work."

The company has large amounts of product stored in a warehouse so it won't disappear from shelves in the near term.

The rebuilding will be critical to the small town of Markdale, which was hit by a tornado only two weeks ago, causing $2 million in damages. The Chapmans' pledge to stay in Markdale and continue operations should be applauded.