‘I eat these things every night:’ Doug Ford backs Chapman’s ice cream bars as he announces $27M interest free loan

Ontario Premier Doug Ford eats an ice cream bar during the announcement of a $200-million expansion of Chapman’s operations.

Premier Doug Ford confessed to a nightly ice cream bar habit as he announced a $27 million interest free loan to help Chapman’s build a new Ontario factory on Friday afternoon.

Ford made the comment during a news conference outside Chapman’s Markdale, Ont. headquarters as he touted the importance of supporting Canadian companies amid the ongoing trade war with the U.S. and singled out one Chapman’s product that he said he was particularly fond of.

“Before I wrap up, I usually wait until after question period. I have to tell you, and I am not BSing anyone, I eat these things every night, honestly every night,” he said before pulling out a box of Chapman’s Yukon ice cream bars and unwrapping one for himself.

“Folks, if you have not tried a Yukon these are absolutely delicious. You have to go to the store and buy one. These are the best ice cream sandwiches anywhere. I am going to try it right now. My goodness. But you can start asking me questions whenever. Mmm. Caramel in the middle, ice cream, chocolate and peanuts. Mmm-mmm, the best.”

After throwing his support behind Chapman’s, Ford went on to take a series of questions from reporters about encampments and speed cameras, among other topics.

But he continued to take bites of the ice cream bar in between reporter questions.

When the news conference was over, Ford offered another endorsement for the ice cream sandwich before giving a fist bump to the company’s CEO.

“I can’t even shake your hand. I will give you a fist bump because I have ice cream all over it,” he said.

Chapman’s new facility will cost $200 million and span 175,000 square feet. It will enable the company to create 200 additional jobs, bringing its total workforce to 1,000 employees.

Chapman’s says that it uses exclusively Canadian milk and cream in all of its 200 products.

“Some companies don’t use Canadian milk per se. They use everything else. But this is a great company,” Ford said. “It is a real homegrown Canadian success story supporting Ontario workers on farms and in factories.”

Ford has repeatedly urged Ontarians to support Canadian companies since the onset of the trade war and has also implored retailers to do their part by helping consumers identify these products.