Chapman’s Ice Cream is celebrating their 50th Anniversary this weekend.
The company started in 1973 when newlyweds David and Penny Chapman bought a small creamery in Markdale.
Since then, it’s turned into a nationally recognized brand.
President and co-founder Penny Chapman says that she never thought that a humble dream could ever have grown the way it did.
In this photo: Ashley and Lesya Chapman (standing), along with David and Penny Chapman (seated).
The Chapmans started their ice cream company in 1973. Since then, their company has become a nationally beloved brand, with the ability to hold its own on an international stage. (photo provided by Chapman’s)
“It blows my mind. I can’t believe it for a couple who started, ‘we’ll give it our best’, who have grown so big, who are recognized for quality, and it’s been adopted. When we finally got the last [territory] in Canada to be 100 percent national, which is Nunavut, I was so proud at that moment to know we had done that, and that many people accept us.”
The company has seen many successes and a few challenges over the past five decades, including a pandemic, a global recession, and a fire that destroyed their factory in 2009.
When the factory burnt down, she says there was never a question of whether to rebuild, because they knew that they had all of their staff and their town depending on them.
“It broke my heart. I couldn’t come back and look at it for three days. But, the same day, my husband said ‘We’re going to rebuild. We’re going to keep going.’ And we gathered all of the employees and made sure they would not worry. ‘We’re going to pay you. We’re going to rebuild. This will not stop us.’ So he’s bold and can see into the future. I’m more detail, but he sees a bigger vision and our vision had not stopped at that point.”
She says that despite the devastation, her husband never questioned whether they’d rebuild, and that their success in both marriage and business was because of David’s ability to see the big picture, while she took care of the details.
“We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without him. We do our own thing. We’re not sitting in each other’s pockets or anything, because that would make us crazy. But I do sales and new products — I love new products and developing. David was always structure, new equipment, new things we could make… Which is all very exciting because it allows us to do the sales part.”
Chapman says that although the business has changed over time, they’ve held true to their company which proudly bears their name, and have been able to keep it in the family.
“It’s incredibly important. We started this, we’re a few years older now. Ashley has come along and taken the helm on a lot of things. So to have the Chapman’s name, and Chapman’s being here, I think it’s so important. There’s no impartial people. There’s a real family, with a real name, Chapman, and our people are so dedicated to us being Chapman’s. It’s the people that make us, we didn’t do it by ourselves.”
Meanwhile, as time marched on, they had lost some competition along the way: some were bought out, while others unfortunately went bankrupt. Says Chapman, “There’s fewer players, which is too bad. I’d like more players because it keeps everybody honest.”
She says their goal for the future is simply “To keep on doing it, to keep on doing the best we can, keep on bringing out new things. With this year it was the Super Premium Plus: the first premium ice cream — the first premium ice cream in the world that guarantees peanut-free, nut-free. It’s just not done. So there’s always something new and something to be creative about and keep moving forward. I think the town of Markdale counts on us to employ people. Markdale the town has grown because we’re here. So we’re not going anywhere, and we’ll just keep doing the best we can.”
The original building that was purchased by David and Penny Chapman (photo provided by Chapman’s)
