Ontario Agriculture

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Chapman's Dairy fire in Markdale

Heard on the news this morning about another sad loss to the Grey County area. A few weeks ago millions of dollars of damage occurred from a tornado. Now the local ice cream plant has burned to the ground. We usually buy Chapmans Premium Ice Cream because it is made in Ontario and the first ingredient is "Cream" - therefore they get to use the "little blue cow" logo.
On one hand I want to say go out and buy a 2L tub (Plastic container) of Chapmans Ice Cream because it is on sale this week at Zehr's. On the other hand I do not want to tell you that because I need to stock up my freezer since there will probably be limited supply in a few weeks.
Full news report at CKNX websites:
http://am920.ca/news.php?area=details&cat_id=4&art_id=6364
http://www.1017theone.ca/news.php?area=details&art_id=6364
Photos by Kirk Scott

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Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on September 6, 2009 at 3:55am
Hi Wayne: Have you heard if they plan to rebuild or not? How many employees work there...tough situation in a small town like Markdale...

Joe
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on September 6, 2009 at 5:21am
Yes they plan to re-build in Markdale. They are pretty dedicated to the town since they are the largest employer with 400 employees. Another reason to support this business: David Chapman said "they will continue to pay their 400 employees for however long it takes" at a news conference Sunday Sept. 6th.
for more information on the company: http://www.chapmans.ca/

Joe Dales said:
Hi Wayne: Have you heard if they plan to rebuild or not? How many employees work there...tough situation in a small town like Markdale...

Joe
Permalink Reply by Andrew Campbell on September 7, 2009 at 12:16am
This is amazing. I can't think of one other company that has continue to pay employees while they rebuild. This is what every small town in Ontario needs, a company that will support it through the good and bad. One more reason I'll buy Chapman's.

Wayne Black said:
Yes they plan to re-build in Markdale. They are pretty dedicated to the town since they are the largest employer with 400 employees. Another reason to support this business: David Chapman said "they will continue to pay their 400 employees for however long it takes" at a news conference Sunday Sept. 6th.
for more information on the company: http://www.chapmans.ca/

Joe Dales said:
Hi Wayne: Have you heard if they plan to rebuild or not? How many employees work there...tough situation in a small town like Markdale...

Joe
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on September 8, 2009 at 6:21am
I knew this would happen.
As soon as I said - better stock up on Chapman's Ice Cream - everyone must have also. My wife cleaned out the last remaining 2 L Chapman's Premium Ice Cream in Zehr's in Goderich. No more.
I wonder where the next closest store would be.... and with this heat wave... :-(

Wayne Black
Permalink Reply by John Beardsley on September 8, 2009 at 10:30am
if they want to maintain their contracts with major food distributors they will need to have someone copack their ice cream for them. I wonder how many companies they were co packing for?

Andrew Campbell said:
This is amazing. I can't think of one other company that has continue to pay employees while they rebuild. This is what every small town in Ontario needs, a company that will support it through the good and bad. One more reason I'll buy Chapman's.

Wayne Black said:
Yes they plan to re-build in Markdale. They are pretty dedicated to the town since they are the largest employer with 400 employees. Another reason to support this business: David Chapman said "they will continue to pay their 400 employees for however long it takes" at a news conference Sunday Sept. 6th.
for more information on the company: http://www.chapmans.ca/

Joe Dales said:
Hi Wayne: Have you heard if they plan to rebuild or not? How many employees work there...tough situation in a small town like Markdale...

Joe
Permalink Reply by John Beardsley on September 8, 2009 at 10:33am
I wonder how many consumers know that if it doesn't have the blue cow it isn't a) cream or B) canadian cream. chapman's also make a bargain brand out of dairy solids or some other euphemism for out of country sugar/milk concoction made to pole vault the import regultions of supply management..

Wayne Black said:
I knew this would happen.
As soon as I said - better stock up on Chapman's Ice Cream - everyone must have also. My wife cleaned out the last remaining 2 L Chapman's Premium Ice Cream in Zehr's in Goderich. No more.
I wonder where the next closest store would be.... and with this heat wave... :-(

Wayne Black

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