Sustainability at Every Step
How family-owned Chapman’s gives back
WhenDavid and Penny Chapman bought an aging creamery in rural Ontario in 1973, they had a singular focus: survival.
The budding entrepreneurs had both worked for a dairy bar in Toronto before deciding to strike out on their own, purchasing The Markdale Creamery (renamed Chapman’s Ice Cream) in its namesake town near Owen Sound. The family – daughter Frances was born in 1973 and son Ashley was born in 1979 – lived above the ice cream plant for the first several years.
“It was tough,” recalls Penny, of those early days. “The creamery was in deplorable shape. There were only four employees and a couple of old trucks, but we had enough to get the business going. And we did everything: Make the ice cream, load the trucks, unload the trucks, do sales calls. But that’s why we came up here: to give it 100%. Perseverance is a real attribute.”
Their perseverance paid off. This year, Chapman’s is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is going strong. The company has grown to become Canada’s largest independent ice cream manufacturer, employing 800 people and producing more than 180 Chapman’s branded frozen treats and 100 private label SKUs at two state-of-the-art production facilities, including premium ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and a range of novelties.
Chapman’s remains very much a family affair: David and Penny still come to work every day (they’re CEO and president, respectively). Ashley, who joined the family business in 2008, is chief operating officer, and his wife, Lesya, is marketing manager.
While they may have been in survival mode at the start, David and Penny held fast to their philosophy to always make the consumer a priority – a key ingredient in Chapman’s success. Out of the gate, Chapman’s produced 15 ice cream flavours in two packaging formats at a time when competitors had just a few varieties. “There’s nothing like giving consumers choices,” says Penny.
Chapman’s is known for its product innovation, and was a pioneer in offering items for people with special dietary needs and allergies. In 1999, Chapman’s made the first nut-free and peanut-free ice cream in Canada. “When my parents made the commitment to do this, there was no roadmap, there was no certification, and there was no governing body that told you about best practices,” says Ashley. “No one else was making peanut-free ice cream, so it was truly pioneering.”
In the mid-90s, Chapman’s became the first manufacturer in North America to release a line of organic ice cream, although it didn’t stick with consumers at the time. “Many times, we have been too far ahead of the curve,” says Penny. “Our organic ice cream was fantastic, but there wasn’t much organic anything in the marketplace. Consumers didn’t understand the increased cost because the ingredients were so much more, so we had to say goodbye to it.”
As Chapman’s reaches the half-century mark, its business – and commitment to Canadians –is stronger than ever
This spring, Chapman’s is launching yet another trailblazing product line: Super Premium Plus, which the company bills as the world’s first allergy-friendly super premium ice cream. The new line, which has eight flavours, is peanut-free, nut-free and egg-free.
We always say, ‘we make ice cream for everyone in Canada,’ but super premium is the one category we’ve never been a player in,” Ashley says. “The global market is dominated by two large-scale manufacturers in the category. Many companies have tried and failed to compete against them, so we needed something to set us apart.”
That’s when Lesya had the idea for the “plus” part: being allergy-friendly. “We thought if we’re going to take on the big players, we need a product that not only has something different about it, but is also a better tasting product than anything else on the market,” says Ashley – a feat he believes the company has achieved.
When it comes to product innovation, being a family-owned and operated business allows Chapman’s to be nimble and make decisions quickly, which is clearly a competitive advantage. While launching new products at a multinational can be a years-long process from start to finish, Ashley says Chapman’s has the ability to just get things done. “Whenever we want to do something, we have a quick meeting and say, ‘this is what we’re going to do, and let’s get started tomorrow.’”
The company’s homegrown roots also give Canadians another reason to love Chapman’s. “It’s very unique to be a family-owned, Canadian company and we employ a lot of people in rural Ontario,” says Penny. “I think Canadians appreciate that and support us because we’re one of them.”
In turn, Chapman’s generously supports the local community, including contributing to infrastructure projects. Among its many initiatives, the company donated $1 million to the new Markdale Hospital; $1 million towards a new palliative care facility in Owen Sound named Chapman House; and donated $2 million to save Markdale’s only elementary school.
As David points out, all of this wouldn’t be possible without the incredible people who work for Chapman’s, some of whom have been with the company for more than 40 years. “We’ve been very fortunate in that we’ve had some great people working for us and that's one of the biggest strengths – our people,” says David. “Without people, you don't have anything – you truly don’t. We really do appreciate that.”
Milestones and moments that shaped Chapman’s and brought the company where it is today
1973
Cream
by Penny and David Chapman, in Markdale, Ont.
1980 – Chapman’s starts making Premium ice cream.
1985 – A new line of sorbet (under the name Sorbetto) is developed for people who can’t have dairy
1989 – Chapman’s launches its frozen yogurt line, becoming the only ice cream manufacturer in Canada at the time making frozen yogurt
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1994 – Chapman’s ice cream sandwich hits store shelves
1999 – The company makes the first nut-free and peanut-free ice cream in Canada
2000 – Chapman’s builds a high-tech wastewater treatment plant to purify the 800,000 litres of water used daily with a reverse osmosis system added later
2001 – To better serve customers in Atlantic Canada, Chapman’s opens a distribution centre in New Brunswick
2006 – Chapman’s expands to every province in Canada
2008 – Ashley Chapman joins the family business
2009 – Chapman’s suffers a devastating fire that completely destroyed the factory
2010 – Chapman’s builds two new production facilities, one of which, named Phoenix, is completely nut-free and peanut-free, and has more than 160,000 square feet of production space, almost twice the size of the old factory
2015 – The Chapman family donates $1 million towards the construction of a new local hospice in Owen Sound, which opened in 2017
2016 – Chapman’s wins three awards from the International Ice Cream Consortium: Best Ice Cream (for its Premium Caramel Saucy Spots), Most Innovative Ice Cream, and Ice Cream Maker of the Year
2023 – Chapman’s celebrates its 50th anniversary and is launching its Super Premium Plus ice cream
What are you most proud of?
David: The people who have worked for us over the years and how we’ve supported them over the years.
Penny: What I’m most proud of is getting to do this with my husband, and how that lasted 50 years, I have no idea. Secondly, our family. We have two children, both healthy and moving on in life. That’s the essence of what makes us happy in the heart.
What was your biggest challenge?
Penny: The plant fire in 2009. It took out our whole plant, our offices, and all our records. Seeing that burning – I’m still not over it. But what came out of it just proves the importance of perseverance. It was my husband who said on the day of the fire, ‘we’re going to rebuild.’
David: I remember seeing all the young people who worked for us, along with their children, who had come to the site after the fire. We had to think of them, too, and what they were going to do for employment.
What are the ingredients for success?
Penny: Perseverance and hard work. There was a lot of hard work through the years to make this all happen. And don’t pass off the job to someone else. There was no job that David couldn’t do. He could work in the plant, he could make mix, he could fill packages, he could drive a truck. So don’t be above anything. Just get on with it.
What excites you most about the future of Chapman’s?
David: We’re handing it off to the next generation. It’s very nice to have all the hard work that Penny and I have put into this business carry on into the future. And Ashley is certainly our future.
Penny: It’s exciting because the younger generation looks at things differently. We may end up at the same place, but we get there in different ways.
Chapman’s is doing a lot more than making frozen treats in Markdale, Ont. The company has a big focus on not only giving back to the community, but also helping to build and sustain it.
In 2000, Chapman’s contributed $1 million towards a new state-of-the-art hospital in Markdale – a donation that grew with interest to close to $2 million before construction finally commenced in 2021.
plans to replace Beavercrest with a brand-new building are in the works, while the original school remains open.
Another major initiative was donating $1 million towards the construction of new palliative care facility in nearby Owen Sound, now called Chapman House.
“That was the fastest million dollars we have ever given out in our lives,” says Ashley. “We knew what hospice was, but until we sat down in our boardroom with palliative care doctors who explained the struggles they have with only partial funding from the government and having to fundraise, while trying to do right by people who are in the last moments of their life, it was very emotional.”
Beyond long-term projects, Chapman’s is also known to respond to needs as they arise, both at home and abroad. In 2020, the company bought two medical-grade deep freezers capable of storing one brand of COVID-19 vaccines. One freezer was used by the local Grey County health unit and the other freezer was shipped to the health unit in Windsor, Ont.
“We needed a new hospital and a committee was started, but nobody would reach into their pocket,” Penny Chapman, president of Chapman’s. “You need one person to get on board and start the ball rolling.”
That person was Penny’s husband, David, who had the idea to step up with a $1 million donation. “We don’t take a million bucks lightly – that is one million hard-earned dollars,” says Penny. “But if you can do something good for your community, you’d better do it.”
The family also got the ball rolling on saving Markdale’s only school – Beavercrest elementary – from closing in 2017. As Markdale’s biggest employer, Chapman’s knew keeping the school open was essential to both Chapman’s success and the municipality’s survival.
“Everybody could see the growth of the community, and for us, 40 or 50 of our employees had children going to that school,” says Ashley Chapman, chief operating officer. “The thought that we might lose them because they’d have to move out of Markdale is just unbelievable to us.”
Chapman’s joined negotiations with the school board and local government, and committed to donating $2 million to save the school. Thanks in large part to community support,
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Chapman’s donated $50,000 toward the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fund through the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, and encouraged others to join the effort through social media. Chapman’s also joined other companies in donating medical supplies – essentially emergency triage kits – to Ukraine. “My wife Lesya is originally from Ukraine and her entire extended family is in Kyiv and the surrounding area,” says Ashley. “So, when the war broke out, it was very personal to us.”
With the kits, he adds, “The idea was hopefully they would save lives. We know they got there – they were distributed in Eastern Ukraine – and that’s all we know. But we hope they made a difference.”
For Chapman’s, producing great-tasting ice cream for Canadians shouldn’t come at the expense of the planet. The company continuously works to minimize its environment impact – and not just because sustainability is a buzzword these days.
“Sustainability was always a focus at Chapman’s. It’s just the way my mom and dad [founders David and Penny] have always done things because it was the right thing to do,” says COO Ashley Chapman.
In 2000, Chapman’s built its own high-tech wastewater treatment plan, becoming the first dairy operation in Ontario to do so. The facility purifies the 650,000 litres of water used daily during the production process. Chapman’s later added a reverse-osmosis system and now purifies and reuses its water in rooftop condensers.
Chapman’s is also committed to energy conservation and in 2014 became an active participant in Ontario’s Industrial Conservation Initiative, which was designed to shift large electricity users’ consumption to offpeak hours. To date, Chapman’s has reduced its peak demand by 40%. In addition, Chapman’s captures thermal heat from its engine rooms and uses it to heat water and reduce condensation, and is actively exploring other ways to further reduce its energy consumption.
On the packaging front, Chapman’s new paper-based packaging is Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified. That means the pulp used to produce Chapman’s ice cream tubs is sustainably sourced, with careful consideration given to preserving biodiversity, maintaining wildlife habitat, and protecting water quality. In addition, its new containers are made from 60% renewable resources, require 50% less energy to manufacture than traditional plastic containers, and are 30% lighter than plastic containers. Even the wooden sticks on Chapman’s ice cream bars come from sustainable forest sources.
“Sustainability is truly engrained into everything at Chapman’s,” says Ashley. “As we go forward, whether that’s looking for more power savings or other alternative packaging sources, we’re never going to stop. If something comes along that is viable for our business, we’re going to do it.”
Penny adds that implementing sustainability measures is never an issue of “should we or shouldn’t we?” It’s an automatic yes when it makes sense for the business.
“We have choices; that’s how lucky we are,” says Penny. “We own the company and we can think about what’s right for us, the community, the country, and the planet. It’s not easy to do because usually if you make the right choice, it costs more money. But we have to live what we believe and we believe in doing the right thing.”
Noteveryone screams for ice cream. For many consumers, allergies and intolerances stand in the way of enjoying this tasty treat. Chapman’s set out to change that with a mission to make “ice cream for all,” and continues to be a leader in this space.
In 1999, the company made the first peanut-free and nut-free ice cream in Canada. The idea was sparked by a letter from a mother of a 10-year-boy with a peanut allergy.
“She wrote to us about her child who went to birthday parties with his friends and social engagements with the family, and he couldn’t have ice cream because none of it was guaranteed peanut-free,” recalls Penny Chapman, president of Chapman’s. “It just touched my heart. Everyone should be able to celebrate the fun things and ice cream is fun.”
Soon after, Chapman’s got to work making its original two-litre ice cream peanut-free. “It was a long process, as we had to make sure every ingredient coming into our facility was guaranteed peanut-free,” Penny recalls. “That’s a lot to expect from suppliers, but they did it and we came up with a way to test if the ingredients and mixes were safe.”
As demand for ice cream that meets other dietary needs grew, Chapman’s continued to respond with products that are nut-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, low-calorie, and no sugar added. With more than 180 products in its portfolio, Chapman’s offering covers every category, including premium ice cream, frozen yogurt, novelties like ice cream sandwiches and sundae cups, as well as seasonal frozen treats. All of Chapman’s ice cream and frozen yogurt flavours are made with 100% Canadian dairy.
This year, Chapman’s is launching another exciting first: a super premium ice cream that is peanut-free, nut-free, and egg-free. Super Premium Plus is made with 16% butter fat and 40% overrun (the amount of air incorporated into ice cream while it’s being made) to deliver an exceptionally creamy taste. The line of eight flavours comes in 500mL containers.
Ashley Chapman, COO of the family-owned
company, describes the formulation as brilliant. “It’s delicious,” he says. “Obviously we’re biased, but in my opinion it is truly the best ice cream in the world – and I’ve eaten a lot of ice cream from all over the world.”
In celebration of Chapman’s 50th anniversary this year, the company went back to its roots and revitalized its flagship “Original” ice cream line. The product has been renamed Markdale Creamery, and the packaging has a fresh new look, including an image of the original creamery building. Made with 100% Canadian dairy, the Markdale Creamery line is available in a variety of classic flavours in Chapman’s iconic two-litre box.
“It’s the same great product we’ve produced since 1973, only it was time to upgrade the packaging and complement our history,” says Penny. “We hope this helps even more Canadians to know us as an independent, rural manufacturer.”
As for how Chapman’s stays on top of changing consumer tastes, Penny says it’s quite basic. “You have to listen to consumers.” The company has research and development, Penny adds, and the Chapman’s themselves “are always dreaming up new flavours.”
While not every product is a winner, Chapman’s always aims to create new products with staying power. “We innovate flavours to be in people’s homes hopefully forever,” says Ashley. “We want our products to be a favourite for Canadian families.”
The world’s first allergy-friendly super premium ice cream is hitting store shelves this spring. Chapman’s Super Premium Plus is guaranteed peanut-free, nut-free and egg-free. With superior taste and a velvety smooth texture, the new line features eight popular flavours in convenient 500mL containers: Cherry Chocolate Truffle; Chocolate & Brownies; Chocolate Lover; Cookie Jar; Salty Caramel Crunch; The Only Strawberry; Vanilla Trilogy; and Cold Brew Coffee, which is made with Birch Bark coffee, a Canadian Indigenous business. A portion of the sales proceeds of Cold Brew Coffee will go towards bringing clean drinking water to Indigenous homes across Canada.
As Chapman’s enters its 50th year, the company has refreshed its “Original” ice cream line. The packaging has a fresh new look and the product has been renamed Markdale Creamery, reflecting the company’s roots. With the same great taste as the original, Markdale Creamery comes in more than a dozen flavours, including fun favourites like Tiger Tail, Orange Pineapple, and Blueberry Cheesecake, along with classics like Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, and Neapolitan. The line is made with 100% Canadian dairy, is peanut- and nut-free, and comes in Chapman’s unique “slice or scoop it” 2L format.
A proudly Canadian company, Chapman’s developed 10 new flavours inspired by the nation’s tastes. The products are full of cheerful colours, fresh fruit flavours, and interesting takes on Canada’s favourites. They include: Canadian Peaches & Cream and Canadian Blueberries & Cream frozen yogurt; Cherry Peach Passion sorbet; Cotton Candy Checkerboard, Coffee Chip, Maple Crunch in the Markdale Creamery line; and more.
Chapman’s launched frozen yogurt in 1989 – becoming the only Canadian ice cream maker in the category at the time – and has continued to create new delicious additions. Available in 2L containers, the line has 14 flavours, such as Caramel Pecan Crunch; Cookies and Cream; Strawberry Saucy Spots; Cappuccino; Three of a Kind Vanilla; and Canadian Peaches and Cream, which received a 2022 Reviewers’ Choice Award from ChickAdvisor in the frozen yogurt category. Chapman’s frozen yogurt is produced with as little as 3% butterfat for some flavours and is lower in fat than regular ice cream.
With 180 products in its branded portfolio, Chapman’s has high-quality frozen treats to suit every taste
