KAWARTHA LAKES-After 80 years in the same location, some of Bobcaygeon’s Kawartha Dairy operation is ready to make a move. Staff officially received the keys to the new 54,000 square foot facility south of Bobcaygeon on December 6th.
Since day one the dairy has operated out 89 Prince Street in Bobcaygeon. Jack and Ila Crowe began by selling milk products and increased the size of the operation by buying other dairies in Bobcaygeon in 1942.
In the 1950s Kawartha Dairy added the now famous ice cream to its line of products. The company expanded to Minden where it opened a retail store in the 60’s. In 2010 they received funding from the Province of Ontario to facilitate expansion and updating of their plant on Princess Street in Bobcaygeon.
Now staff are preparing to move into the new facility on County Road 36 South in the New Year. Blake Fraser the Vice President and General Manager told Kawartha 411 “It’s the biggest capital expenditure Kawartha Dairy has ever undertaken in their history, by far” The expansion will add ten new jobs and keep 115 other jobs in Bobcaygeon.
The space includes ten loading docks,a 14,009 square foot refrigerated warehouse, a 3,551 square foot maintenance area,a 15,000 square foot ambient storage floor and 2,640 square feet of office space. The refrigerated warehouse is to house ice cream that’s made and stockpiled all winter and kept for sale in the summer season according to Fraser. “The ice cream business has been growing by double digit increases every year for the last few years” He says. The most popular flavour is Moose Tracks but newcomer Salty Caramel Truffle is closing in fast according to Fraser.
Company officials hoped to be able to take posession of the building in the fall but delays have pushed back the date.
The company has grown from one location in Bobcaygeon to nine retail outlets including Minden, Peterborough and Orillia.
