Member Profile – Tatamagouche Ice Creamery
Tatamagouche Ice Creamery produces premium ice cream using butterfat and egg yolks for a creamy, dreamy, custardy scoop. Founded and owned by Daniel Curran, their mission is to bring people together and to become a pillar in the Nova Scotian artisan community. They have locations in Tatamagouche, Dartmouth, an ice cream trailer at Alderney Landing, and are available at a variety of retail locations around Nova Scotia.
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Tell us about your business:
Tatamagouche Ice Creamery is a small-batch manufacturer of ultra-premium, award-winning ice cream. We are known for our large selection of exciting, rotating flavours made from only the highest quality ingredients, sourced locally where possible.
What are some of your favourite reviews or comments you’ve received?
Since launching, we’ve received so many rave reviews and comments from people. It is incredibly satisfying and humbling to be told, by strangers, that our ice cream is “the best they ever had”. People are so excited to tell me and my staff about the hours-long road trips that they have made across the province, the Maritimes, and even further, with the sole purpose of enjoying our ice cream – that is an amazing thing to hear.
Why is supporting local so important?
You often hear people talking about various metrics about the GDP multiplier effect and spinoff benefits of supporting local, small businesses. That is certainly true, and it’s good for our economy. But, the reason why supporting local is so important goes far beyond the economic impact. Supporting local has a profound impact on our way of life. It helps create a sense of community and can even build on the culture we are known for as a province.
Outside of being a small business owner, what are some of your favourite ways to support local in your personal life?
Aside from shopping at local businesses for supplies for my home, I love to explore other small-batch ice cream shops. There aren’t many of us in the region yet, so it’s fun to see what everyone is making. I also make sure to tell our own customers about other ice cream shops – we often serve customers who don’t know about the fantastic homemade ice cream close to home!
In your opinion, what are the benefits of being a small, local business in Nova Scotia?
Tatamagouche has been known for years for its vibrant summer life and charming small businesses, craftspeople and artists. We benefitted from launching our business here because the community prides itself on supporting small, local businesses. That passion for supporting local has grown throughout the province, and this growth will continue to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start their own business.
What inspires you about Nova Scotia?
There is a feeling that Nova Scotia is entering a major new era. We have suddenly become a place where people flock to live. This has created a lot of challenges that everyone is well aware of, but it has also created many unique opportunities. We can support the unique, small businesses that give our province personality and charm and make people want to stay. This charm and personality is most inspiring when it comes to Nova Scotia.
What is your favourite ice cream flavour of the flavours you offer?
I am often asked what is my favourite flavour of ice cream, and I always respond the same way… it’s like asking a parent who their favourite child is – it depends on the day! Bourbon Coffee has probably become our most popular flavour that is truly unique to Tatamagouche Ice Creamery, but we are constantly creating new flavours, and I am finding a new favourite (sometimes an old favourite) every day.
What’s coming up next for your business?
It has been an exciting and a challenging year for Tatamagouche Ice Creamery. We launched a second location on the Dartmouth waterfront and moved into a new, bigger production facility. In the Fall of 2023, we look forward to launching a line of high-quality butter, including cultured and flavoured butter. As Nova Scotians, we really don’t have any options right now for local, small-batch butter which is such a shame as butter is a foundational ingredient for quality food.
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Check out Tatamagouche Ice Creamery’s website to see a full list of where to find their decadent ice cream!
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