On April 10, Kawartha Dairy opened a new location in Britannia Beach, B.C. This store marks the iconic Ontario cottage country business’s first venture outside of its home province.
After only a month on the West Coast, the store has already made a mark on its new community.
“The first few weeks have been exciting,” says the Crowe family, the founders of Kawartha Dairy. “We have had customers who know the brand sharing memories they have with Kawartha Dairy, and many other customers trying our products and getting to experience our rich, creamy ice cream for the first time.”
Kawartha Dairy was founded in 1937 when the Crowes purchased a dairy in Bobcaygeon, Ont. However, they did not begin selling their famous ice cream until the 1960s when they opened a store in Minden, Ont., which included a depot and their first dairy bar. The company has since grown to 14 locations.
New stores in Toronto, Burlington, and Cobourg, Ont., popped up in 2024—all spots that, like Britannia Beach, are tourist destinations or on route to them. However, the prime location between Vancouver and Whistler wasn’t the only thing that drew the Crowes to this community of less than 400 residents.
“We come from a small town nestled between two lakes in central Ontario, and Britannia Beach really feels like home,” they say. The historical, traditional aesthetic and nearby water in Howe Sound made it the perfect place for their new store.
The Britannia Beach store offers the full menu of 36 ice cream flavours by the scoop, as milkshakes, or in packaged tubs—this includes their newest creation, Constellation, which blends dark chocolate ice cream, caramel, and white chocolate-covered biscuit pieces.
“We like to say we’re in the business of making great family memories,” says the Crowe family. “We’re excited to share the taste of the Kawarthas with more Canadians.”
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