—Updated April 16—
It is now open!
Kawartha Dairy has officially opened its location in Britannia Beach, its first in Western Canada.
The Sea to Sky store softly opened on April 10, inside the restored 70-year-old Britannia Mine community church building.
It is open seven days a week from noon to 8 p.m., offering 35 flavours of ice cream, along with milkshakes and ice cream tubs to take home.
"We’re so thrilled to open our Britannia Beach shop,” said Mike Crowe, third-generation owner of Kawartha Dairy, in a news release. “We fell in love with the location the minute we saw it and are excited to make great family memories with Western Canadians.”
Kawartha Dairy has 13 retail locations in Ontario and sells its ice cream through partner retailers and grocery stores across Western Canada.
Fans can follow Kawartha Dairy on Instagram @kawartha_dairy and learn more about Britannia Village at britanniavillage.ca.
—Original story Jan. 14, 2025—
Ice cream lovers will soon have another option in the Sea to Sky Corridor.
Kawartha Dairy Ltd, which has more than a dozen retail stores in Ontario, is opening its first outside of that province, in Britannia Beach.
The new store, the company's 14th, is slated to open early this spring at 109 Church St.
"We come from a small town nestled between two lakes in central Ontario, and Britannia Beach really feels like home," said Mike Crowe, the third-generation owner and director of product development with Kawartha, in an email exchange with The Squamish Chief
"The historical and traditional aesthetic of the area, the beautiful nearby water in Howe Sound, as well as being en route to tourist destinations make it the ideal location for our first retail store venture outside of Ontario."
The local shop will offer 36 flavours of their "premium ice cream" by the scoop, custom-made milkshakes, and packaged ice cream.
Patrons can take their ice cream to go, or sit out on the patio overlooking the mountains and Britannia Creek.
"We have a wide range of flavours from classics like chocolate, french vanilla, and mint chip, as well as unique flavours like our iconic moose tracks, salty caramel truffle and dockside cappuccino," Crowe said, adding that they will have gluten-free, reduced sugar, and lactose-free options, and dairy-free sorbet.
"We’ll have something for everyone. We will also have butter, apparel, and other premium local snacks. "
All of the company's milk and ice cream are produced in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, where the company first started.
"All our ice cream starts with fresh milk and fresh cream sourced daily from local farms and is turned into ice cream in about a day from being delivered," Crowe said.
The company is family-owned and operated.
"My grandparents, Jack and Ila Crowe, started Kawartha Dairy back in 1937, and we’re proud to remain a 100% family-owned Canadian company, now run by the second, third and fourth generations," Crowe said.
"We have been family-owned and operated for over 87 years in the same small town where it started. For the last 70 years, our premium ice cream has been made our traditional way using fresh milk and fresh cream, and we invite you to join us in Britannia Beach to make some great family memories by treating yourself and friends to the taste of life by the lake."
The company's Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream will also soon be available at partner scoop shops and local grocery stores across Western Canada.
Squamish food beat is a regular series about changes to food businesses in Squamish and the surrounding area. To be considered as the subject for a future story, email news@squamishchief.com.
