Ottawa ice cream store gets license to sell tubs at wholesale locations

The Merry Dairy says it was forced to pull pints of ice cream from 15 wholesale locations in Ottawa in July 2022. (Jeremie Charron/CTV News Ottawa)

A popular Ottawa ice cream business is once again selling tubs of ice cream at several locations in the capital.

The Merry Dairy says it can now sell its dairy-based ice cream wholesale in stores after receiving a license from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

In July 2022, the Merry Dairy was forced to halt its wholesale operations after an officer from the ministry said they would be required to stop selling ice cream because it wasn't a dairy plant under the Milk Act.

The Merry Dairy was still allowed to sell ice cream pints at its location on Fairmont Avenue, but was prohibited from selling wholesale to other businesses. Under Ontario's Milk Act, businesses need a dairy plant license to sell wholesale products.

Merry Dairy owner Marlene Haley tells CTV News Ottawa they received a license from the ministry earlier this month, and it has started selling dairy-based ice cream in stores they used to do wholesale with.

"(Merry Dairy) will look at more once we get through our summer rush."