Kawartha Dairy Company facts for kids
The Kawartha Dairy Company is a Canadian family-owned business that makes delicious milk, cream, and famous ice cream! It's based in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, in a beautiful area called Kawartha Lakes. The company started way back in 1937 and is still run by the same family today. Kawartha Dairy sells its products to other stores and also has its own shops across Ontario.
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How Kawartha Dairy Started
In 1937, a couple named Jack and Ila Crowe bought a small dairy in Bobcaygeon. Jack had enjoyed working at another dairy before. They started making and selling milk products right away. To keep their products cold, they first used ice from nearby Pigeon Lake.
Kawartha Dairy grew bigger in 1942. They bought other dairies in the town, like Murphy Brothers Meadowbrook Dairy. At first, they stored their products in large steel containers. They delivered them to nearby areas by wagon or boat in the summer. In the winter, they used a sleigh!
In the mid-1950s, Jack Crowe went to the University of Guelph. He learned how to make ice cream there. Soon, ice cream became one of Kawartha Dairy's most popular items. In the early 1960s, the company opened its first retail store in Minden.
Growing Over the Years
By 2008, Kawartha Dairy had five retail stores in central Ontario. In 2010, the company received some funding from the government. This money helped them make their factory in Bobcaygeon bigger and better. They also created ten new jobs!
More funding came in 2017 to help expand their storage and refrigeration areas. This was the biggest expansion in the company's history at that time. By 2012, Kawartha Dairy had eight retail stores. They opened a ninth store in Orillia in 2016. By May 2018, their tenth store opened in Newmarket. The company now employs many people, especially during the busy summer months.
In 2013, Kawartha Dairy started selling its products in grocery stores across Ontario. They used pictures of beautiful rural Ontario on their packaging. This design even won an award in 2015! In 2017, Kawartha Dairy celebrated its 80th birthday.
Where to Find Kawartha Dairy Stores
Kawartha Dairy has eleven retail stores where you can buy their ice cream and other dairy products.
- Bancroft, Ontario
- Barrie, Ontario
- Bobcaygeon, Ontario
- Lindsay, Ontario
- Midland, Ontario
- Minden, Ontario
- Newmarket, Ontario
- Orillia, Ontario
- Peterborough, Ontario
- Uxbridge, Ontario
- Huntsville, Ontario
Delicious Products
Some of Kawartha Dairy's most loved products are its ice cream, chocolate milk, and eggnog. You can find them in their own stores and in other shops across Ontario. The company always uses fresh milk and cream from Ontario farms. Most of their milk comes from the Bobcaygeon area.
In 2018, Kawartha Dairy even worked with a brewery called Muskoka. They made a special limited-edition beer based on their Salty Caramel Truffle ice cream flavour! It had caramel and milk chocolate tastes. That same summer, the company started offering edible candy spoons. This helps reduce waste and is better for the environment.
