How an Ice Cream Company Became a Global Icon by Giving Back
In a corporate world dominated by billionaires, there’s a Canadian ice cream company that is choosing a different path. They look after employees, donate to the community and even provide housing to refugees. This is how they became a national icon - by doing the right thing.
Ask any Canadian to name an ice cream brand, and they’ll probably say Chapman’s. Even though they’re available across the country, most people don’t know that they’re a family-owned business in a town with a population of just over 1,200. They’ve been looking after the town for decades.
In 2009, their factory suffered a devastating fire. It gutted the factory, shut down operations and left employees out of work for months.
How did Chapman’s respond?
By continuing to pay their salaries, even with the factory closed. They even paid out Christmas bonuses.
When the COVID vaccine first arrived, health departments in Canada scrambled to find industrial freezers to store the vaccine.
You know who donated theirs immediately? Chapman’s.
No questions asked. They just wanted to help.
Speaking of helping, when the war in Ukraine shook the world, Chapman’s stepped up again. Within weeks, they mobilized their resources and put together more than 1,600 first aid kits. All of the kits were sent to Ukrainian refugees who were forced to flee their homes.
That’s not all.
When Canada opened its doors to Ukrainian refugees, they left it to community organizations to provide housing.
What did Chapman’s do?
They rented an apartment building, cleaned it, painted it, furnished it and turned it into housing for incoming refugees.
This year for their 50th anniversary, Chapman’s wanted to do something special, but how could ANYONE top all that?
For their newest flavor, they’ve decided to partner with Birch Bark, a local Indigenous-owned coffee company to give back - again. Here’s how.
For every purchase of the new flavor — Cold Brew Coffee — they’re donating proceeds to provide water purification systems to Indigenous families in need.
You buy the ice cream – they do the rest.
It’s not everyday that you see a company stand on principle - and still become a national icon. No corporation is perfect, but companies like this give us hope for the future.
