Chapman’s Ice Cream exemplifies the saying “the cream rises to the top,” but it has turned that into 280 delicious frozen products.
“It’s a real homegrown Canadian success story, supporting Ontario workers on farms and in factories,” said Premier Doug Ford during a $27 million Invest Ontario funding announcement at Chapman’s Markdale headquarters.
Why it matters: Canada’s largest independent ice cream manufacturer’s $200 million, 175,000-square-foot expansion, scheduled to be operational in May or June, includes three new production lines, with plans for three more in the future.
“This expansion comes at a critical time for Chapman’s. Competition from multinationals has only increased in recent years,” said Ashley Chapman, Chief Operating Officer. “This project will help us to establish a stronger competitive ground.”
Invest Ontario’s investment allows them to “build a bigger, better facility” with autonomous robotics and create an additional 200 higher-paying rural jobs, said Chapman.
“Chapman’s is a household name in Canada and an Ontario success story. Through this expansion, they are reinforcing their roots at home while opening doors to the world market,” said Khawar Nasim, CEO of Invest Ontario. “We’re proud to support this Ontario business that will create opportunities for Ontarians and strengthen the province’s supply chain resilience.”
The expansion will reinforce Chapman’s status as a producer of high-quality Canadian ice cream and support potential growth into the United Kingdom and European Union markets. He emphasized that supporting Canadians and local demand remains their primary focus.
“As we have proven with multiple international awards, Canadian dairy is the highest quality dairy in the world,” Chapman stated. “And with 98 per cent of Canadian dairy farms being family-owned, we are proud to support Canadian farmers and Canadian families.”
