For decades, three major corporations dominated the ice cream market in North America. Then, in 1973, David and Penny Chapman purchased the Creamery in Markdale Ontario, a village just south of Georgian Bay. They began with four employees and two trucks and moved into the cramped and “very primitive” rooms above the old creamery. Their dream was an ice cream manufacturing plant that would provide a quality product at an affordable price, adding the personal touch that only a small company could provide. Their belief, then as now, is that they are making ice cream for the kid in all of us. Says Penny, “Everybody thinks ice cream is for kids but when the truth be known adults probably eat the majority of it and that is because they remain kids at heart. It is a gift we should always keep with us.” Over the years, the demand for variety has kept Chapman's busy developing unique and innovative new flavours and products. An example is Canadian Vanilla, eh!, a vanilla ice cream that reveals a red maple leaf in every slice. The move to develop specialty products began with a phone call from a lactose-intolerant, 10-year old boy who lamented the fact that he never had ice cream at his birthday party. That resulted in a line of dairy-free products. From there, the demand for ice cream that meets special dietary needs has resulted in Chapman's developing product lines such as Peanut/Nut Free, No Sugar Added, and Lactose Free that are now recognized by nutritional programs across Canada. In fact, Chapman's was recognized in 2003 for their Peanut/Nut Free red flag labeling on Ice Cream and Novelties, by Anaphylaxis Canada. Chapman's was awarded the "Susan Daglish Award" for their leadership and commitment to anaphylaxis safety.  In 2005, Chapman’s made several of its products Gluten free to meet the needs of those with some form of celiac allergy, or the intolerance of gluten, in their diet.  Dedication to meeting its customer’s needs continues to be a driving force at Chapman’s Ice Cream. To meet the growing demands of its customers, Chapman’s has undergone several upgrades within the plant including equipment upgrades and product line expansions.  As well, our Distribution Centre has undergone two separate expansions and now covers about 140,000 square feet and can house over 6 million units of product – that’s a lot of ice cream! Also, the distribution centre now boasts a fully self-contained truck garage to maintain over 60 Chapman’s trucks that deliver Chapman’s across Canada. There is a new 28,000 square foot warehouse for storing dry ingredients, and, so as not to burden the municipal system, Chapman’s has built it’s own wastewater treatment plant to recycle the 675,000 litres of water used daily in the cleaning and production processes. In 2001, Chapman’s opened a distribution centre in New Brunswick to better serve it’s customers in Atlantic Canada.  Although Chapman's Ice Cream has grown substantially, it is still firmly rooted in the community and deeply loyal to its employees.  Today, with the “Chapman Kids” being familiar faces to millions and Chapman’s products enjoyed by families from coast to coast across Canada, Chapman’s Ice Cream stands as a leader in the industry.  David and Penny still come to work every day, still are deeply involved in the day to day operations and still get a kick out of developing new taste sensations and new products. Their dream continues to be to provide the finest quality products at the best affordable price. And thanks to the ongoing support of loyal customers like you, their dream continues to thrive.