Chapman’s Ice Cream is celebrating international recognition after this year’s International Ice Cream Consortium conference in Greece.
The Markdale-based company was one of 14 independent ice cream manufacturers from around the world to take part in the IICC.
Chapman’s Chief Operating Officer Ashley Chapman talked about the recent trip to Greece with Bayshore News.
The company won the honour of being named Ice Cream Maker of the Year at this year’s event. Chapman said that it feels pretty good to be recognized by international peers.
“Absolutely amazing,” he said. “You have to understand that the level of products that everybody brings form their countries — is literally the best thing that they could bring from the previous year, since the previous conference.”
Some companies brought exciting and interesting new flavours, while others had invented and implemented innovative new machinery since the previous meeting in order to aid in their manufacturing process.
The International Ice Cream Consortium is currently made of 14 independent companies from around the world.
“It is only independent ice cream makers, who are the major players in whatever region they are in the world,” shared Chapman. “Think of it as 14 Chapman’s Ice Creams, coming to battle every year and to share ideas and… well, let’s be honest, it’s not really a battle. It’s just a lot of fun.”
But it’s not all fun and games, sometimes there is a sense of tedium that most wouldn’t feel bad about.
This year, the participating companies held a competition for the top vanilla ice cream, where the only way to judge is to do a blind taste-test of 14 different vanilla ice creams.
On the plus side, Chapman’s placed second in that contest, losing out to Sia Glass from Sweden.
“Many years ago, I think it was 2019, we did a vanilla competition in the conference, and it was the exact same result,” explained Chapman. “The Swedish won, and Chapman’s took second place, and the CEO of the consortium divulged that the difference between Sweden and the Canadian ice cream was that one point won Sweden the contest. One single point… but I have to admit, the Swedish make an amazing ice cream, and they’re a great company.”
He explained that the top four flavours for every company without fail are chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and caramel. Each year, one flavour is selected to battle from each country. Next year will be chocolate. Chapman’s previously one recognition for The Only Chocolate premium ice cream — they were named best in the world in 2022.
Chapman went to this year’s conference in Thessaloniki, Greece accompanied by Naagan Chef Zach Keeshig and sous-chef Tristan, and were able to submit their Sweet Grass Ice Cream collaboration for consideration as the Most Innovative flavour — which they won, and garnered intrigue from the other participants.
“[There was] a lot of interest. In Canada, we have some kind of basic concept of what sweet grass is,” said Chapman. “But anywhere else in the world, nobody has a clue what we’re talking about. I’m pretty sure most of the people that were there from around the world were thinking lawn clippings from mowing your lawn is what we’re making ice cream with.”
The next IICC will be held in October 2026 in Argentina.