Chapman's

In 1973, David and Penny Chapman purchased the Creamery in Markdale, Ontario, a village just south of Georgian Bay. The company started out as a small creamery with four employees and two trucks.

In 2001, a distribution centre was opened in New Brunswick to better serve Chapman's Atlantic Canada.{{Cite web |url=https://www.chapmans.ca/AboutUs/OurStory|title=Our Story|website=www.chapmans.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-12-03}}

On September 4, 2009, a major fire gutted the Chapman's creamery. No employees were hurt in the blaze. Chapman's had been using a smaller plant since the fire.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2009/09/04/fire_destroys_chapmans_ice_cream_plant_in_markdale.html |title=Fire destroys Chapman's ice cream plant in Markdale |date=September 4, 2009 |website=thestar.com |access-date=January 20, 2020}}

On September 4, 2010 they opened its new facility on the anniversary of the destruction of the old plant. The smaller plant was converted into a nut facility, while the addition of the new plant became a nut-free facility (the larger of the two plants is about quadruple the size of the old one) allowed the hiring of 50 to 100 new employees.{{cite web |url=http://www.680news.com/news/local/article/74306--new-chapmans-ice-cream-plant-to-open-sept-4-a-year-after-old-plant-destroyed |title=New Chapmans Ice Cream plant to open Sept. 4, a year after old plant destroyed |date=July 6, 2010 |accessdate=2010-07-06 |publisher=The Canadian Press |via=680News |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716052158/http://www.680news.com/news/local/article/74306--new-chapmans-ice-cream-plant-to-open-sept-4-a-year-after-old-plant-destroyed |archivedate=2011-07-16 }}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were being readied for distribution, which require strong refrigeration for storage, Chapman's volunteered the use of their industrial freezers for the Grey Bruce Health Unit for the vials.{{cite news |last1=Golletz |first1=Jennifer |title=This Ontario health unit is working with a local ice cream maker to store the COVID-19 vaccine |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/12/15/this-ontario-health-unit-is-working-with-a-local-ice-cream-maker-to-store-the-covid-19-vaccine.html |access-date=24 November 2021 |publisher=Toronto Star |date=15 December 2020}} When the company decided upon a vaccine mandate where any unvaccinated employees must submit to a company paid COVID-19 rapid antigen test twice a week, while their vaccinated employees would get a $1 raise as the equivalent compensation for the cost of the tests, the company was subject to calls for a boycott by anti-vaccination groups.{{cite web |last1=Stewart |first1=Ashleigh |title='Boycott Chapman's': Why anti-vaccine groups are taking aim at ice cream |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8386305/covid-vaccine-mandate-boycott-chapmans-ice-cream/ |website=Global News |publisher=Global Television Network |access-date=24 November 2021}} However, there was also a wave of public support around Canada for the business in reaction to this hostility, although it was not clear how the activism of either side was affecting sales.{{cite news |last1=Gowan |first1=Rob |title=Chapman's overwhelmed at support amid anti-vaxxers' calls for boycott |url=https://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/news/local-news/chapmans-overwhelmed-at-support-amid-anti-vaxxers-calls-for-boycott |access-date=24 November 2021 |publisher=Owen Sound Sun Times |date=24 November 2021}} Company vice-president Ashley Chapman said on CBC Radio's As It Happens that the boycott had no effect on the company's bottom line.{{cite web |title=Chapman's Ice Cream faces backlash and boycott over vaccination policy |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.6259614/chapman-s-ice-cream-faces-backlash-and-boycott-over-vaccination-policy-1.6259879 |website=CBC Radio |publisher=CBC |access-date=24 November 2021}}

After U.S. president Donald Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on all goods imported from Canada, Chapman's announced they would source ingredients that previously came from the United States from other coutries, such as Italy.{{Cite magazine |last=Shea |first=Courtney |date=March 20, 2025 |title=“The least we can do is make sure Canadians can still afford ice cream”: The CEO of Chapman’s on why the company is freezing its prices |url=https://torontolife.com/food/chapmans-ice-cream-ceo-price-freeze/ |access-date=April 10, 2025 |magazine=Toronto Life}}{{Cite news |last=Phillips |first=Kim |date=March 12, 2025 |title=Chapman’s Ice Cream faces tough choices as U.S. tariffs bite |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/barrie/article/chapmans-ice-cream-braces-for-financial-hit-as-us-tariffs-take-effect/ |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=CTV News |location=Barrie}} In addition, they began absorbing all immediate increases to the costs of the tariffs.{{Cite news |last=Coulton |first=Marisa |date=March 13, 2025 |title=Canadian ice cream maker Chapman’s says it’ll ‘absorb’ Trump tariff-related costs to freeze prices |url=https://www.thestar.com/business/canadian-ice-cream-maker-chapmans-says-itll-absorb-trump-tariff-related-costs-to-freeze-prices/article_791626e0-000e-11f0-b8e1-731529e778d6.html |work=Toronto Star}}{{Cite news |last=McCormack |first=Claire |date=March 10, 2025 |title=Chapman’s Ice Cream Says It’s Putting Canadians First Amid Tariff Pressures |url=https://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/2025/03/10/195167/ |access-date=April 10, 2025 |work=Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre}}

Production is centred in Markdale, with two plants located in the town; the {{Convert|65000|ft2|m2}} smaller plant is a nut facility, while the larger {{Convert|150000|ft2|m2}} plant is nut-free. The company also operates a {{convert|140000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} distribution centre south of town on Highway 10. There is another distribution centre in Hampton, New Brunswick to serve the Atlantic provinces. Chapman's owns a wastewater treatment plant to purify {{Convert|675000|l|USgal}} of wastewater daily produced from the cleaning and production processes.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.chapmans.ca/AboutUs/OurStory "The Story of Chapman's Ice Cream" at the official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061015203745/http://www.ontla.on.ca/hansard/house_debates/36_parl/session1/L087.htm#P50_12307 A mention of the company in the Ontario Legislative Assembly]
• [https://esemag.com/archives/high-tech-wastewater-system-for-ice-cream-firm-4/ An article describing how their waste water is treated]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110714143139/http://www.mymarkdale.com/points%20of%20interest/points_of_interest_chapmans.html Tourist information and a brief company history]
• [http://www.pennnet.com/display_article/149079/64/ARTCL/none/none/1/New-Batch-WWT-System-Reduces-Costs,-Sludge-/ Technical article describing their water treatment system]{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1973

Category:Food and drink companies of Canada

Category:Ice cream brands

Category:1973 establishments in Ontario

Category:Dairy products companies of Canada