The Merry Dairy

What The Merry Dairy does

The Merry Dairy is a privately held, Ottawa-based artisan ice cream producer and retailer founded in 2012 by Marlene Haley. The company operates a licensed dairy production facility and retail storefront at 102 Fairmont Avenue in the Hintonburg neighbourhood, where it makes and sells small-batch ice cream on site. A fleet of three vintage Grumman food trucks (1985, 1986, and 1976 models) supports mobile sales, event catering, and a weekly soft-serve window on the lot. The entire facility is strictly peanut, tree nut, and sesame-free, with rotating menus spanning over 100 flavours including dairy, vegan (oat-and-coconut base), gluten-free, and no-added-sugar options.

The core product set comprises scoops and half-litre pints sold in-store and online, soft serve (dairy and vegan/Dole Whip varieties), handmade ice cream cakes (in-stock and custom), and ice cream sandwiches. Supporting lines include merchandise, gift cards, loot bag cards, waffle pieces, float kits, party cooler rentals, and the published cookbook 'Great Scoops: Recipes from a Neighbourhood Ice Cream Shop', which is carried in nearly 1,000 libraries worldwide. The company has signed licensed-product deals (e.g., a LEGO Merry Dairy Ice Cream Truck Kit pre-order dated July 8, 2026) and engages in community programming such as the Rhubarb and Mint Exchanges, Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, Name Days, and The Literary Feast.

Revenue is generated across three primary channels: direct-to-consumer retail at 102 Fairmont plus Shopify-backed pickup and next-day delivery anywhere in Ottawa; event-driven catering and food-truck bookings for corporate, school, community, and private functions; and wholesale distribution of signature half-litre tubs to over a dozen Ottawa-area retail partners. Pricing is unit-based across product lines (pints at $10, cakes $38–$43, sandwiches from $5), with free delivery on orders over $50 and distance-based delivery fees under that threshold. The company is bootstrapped, founder-operated, and serves a primary customer base of local Ottawa families, corporate and event clients, schools, and wholesale partners.

Name

The Merry Dairy

Legal name

The Merry Dairy

Website

https://themerrydairy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Merry Dairy is an Ottawa-based artisan ice cream producer founded in 2012 that sells small-batch scoops, pints, soft serve, cakes, sandwiches, and cookbooks from a licensed dairy storefront at 102 Fairmont Avenue, a three-truck catering fleet, online ordering, and over a dozen wholesale partners across Ottawa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Ice Cream

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA), Mobile Dessert Vendors (Ice Cream/Dessert Trucks & Carts) (THAFAHAG), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAHAC), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)

Keywords

• Artisanal ice cream
• Frozen custard
• Ice cream cakes
• Food truck catering
• Small-batch dairy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Ice Cream Sales (Scoops & Pints): In-store scooping sales at 102 Fairmont location, selling scoops by the cone/bowl. Online pint sales for pickup and delivery across Ottawa.
2. Ice Cream Cakes & Sandwiches: Handmade ice cream cakes (in-stock and custom build-your-own), custom mini cakes, and ice cream sandwiches sold online and in-store.
3. Food Truck & Event Catering: Ice cream truck and cart rental for events, corporate functions, schoolyards, and community gatherings. Truck delivery fee based on distance from 102 Fairmont.
4. Wholesale Distribution: The Merry Dairy's signature half litre tubs available at over a dozen wholesale locations across Ottawa and beyond.
5. Merchandise & Gifts: Merch including keychains, patches, merch items, gift cards (e-cards, physical cards, gift card pints), loot bag cards, and cookbook 'Great Scoops'.
6. Great Scoops Cookbook: Recipe book 'Great Scoops: Recipes from a Neighbourhood Ice Cream Shop' sold online, in stores, and available in nearly 1000 libraries worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Merry Dairy produces and sells small-batch artisanal ice cream on-site at a licensed dairy facility at 102 Fairmont Avenue in Ottawa. Its offerings include hand-scooped ice cream, retail pints, soft serve, ice cream cakes, ice cream sandwiches, and related merchandise, with many vegan, gluten-free, and no-added-sugar options. The business extends its reach via a fleet of three food trucks used for event catering, an online shop for pickup and delivery across Ottawa, and wholesale distribution to retail partners.

Product overview

The Merry Dairy is a specialty ice cream shop operating as a unified product portfolio centered around handcrafted frozen desserts. The core offerings include in-store scoops, soft serve from their mobile truck, and retail pints sold online for pickup or delivery. Supporting products include ice cream cakes (stock and custom), ice cream sandwiches, loot bag cards for parties, and branded merchandise including their cookbook 'Great Scoops'. The business also operates a food truck catering service for events. All products share a commitment to nut-free production with many vegan and gluten-free options, sold through their Shopify-based e-commerce platform with delivery across Ottawa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ice Cream Pints Half-litre tubs of small-batch ice cream sold online for pickup or delivery across Ottawa, featuring dozens of rotating seasonal flavors with dairy, vegan, gluten-free, and no-added-sugar options.
• In-Store Scoops Hand-scooped ice cream served by the cone or bowl at the 102 Fairmont Avenue shop, with daily rotating flavors and filter options for dairy, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and no-added-sugar preferences.
• Soft Serve Soft serve ice cream served from the truck on the lot at 102 Fairmont, including both dairy and vegan oat-based options as well as various Dole Whip flavors.
• Ice Cream Cakes Handmade ice cream cakes available in-stock or custom build-your-own, including custom mini cakes, for celebrations and events, sold online and in-store.
• Ice Cream Sandwiches Custom ice cream sandwiches made to order with options for personalized labels, available through the online shop.
• Food Truck and Cart Catering Mobile ice cream truck and cart rental service for private events, corporate functions, schoolyard visits, festivals, and community gatherings across Ottawa, with per-event and distance-based fees.
• Online Pickup and Delivery Online ordering via the Shopify shop with same-day pickup during business hours and next-day delivery Wednesday to Saturday (3-7pm) anywhere in Ottawa, free on orders over $50.
• Gift Cards Digital e-gift cards, physical gift cards, and gift card pints available for purchase online and redeemable at The Merry Dairy.
• Loot Bag Cards Redeemable cards for free cones or scoops, available as instant digital cards, custom personalized cards with photos, and themed cards for holidays and parties.
• Great Scoops Cookbook Recipe book titled 'Great Scoops: Recipes from a Neighbourhood Ice Cream Shop' featuring 100+ ice cream recipes, sold online, in stores, and available in nearly 1,000 libraries worldwide.
• Float Kit DIY ice cream soda kit for making floats at home, containing everything needed except the ice cream.
• Waffle Pieces Gluten-free waffle pieces sold as a topping or standalone purchase for pairing with Merry Dairy ice cream.
• Party Cooler Rental Rental cooler for keeping ice cream cold at events, parties, and gatherings.
• Merry Dairy Merchandise Branded merchandise including Trash Panda patches, truck keychains, milk crates, toques/head warmers, and the Great Scoops cookbook, sold online through the Shopify shop.
• Cards by Local Artists Greeting cards designed by Ottawa-based local artists, available for purchase alongside orders or separately.
• Wholesale Pint Distribution Signature half-litre Merry Dairy ice cream tubs distributed wholesale to over a dozen retail locations across Ottawa and beyond.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ flavor varieties
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Figure 1 PublishingcoreOthersPublished The Merry Dairy's cookbook 'Great Scoops: Recipes from a Neighbourhood Ice Cream Shop'. Book photographed in Ottawa, printed in Winnipeg, published in Vancouver.
• Anne DesBrisaycoreOthersLegendary Ottawa Citizen food writer collaborated on the Great Scoops cookbook, contributing expertise and credibility to the publication.
• Photolux GalleryminorOthersOttawa-based commercial photography studio photographed the Great Scoops cookbook cover.
• Children's Aid Foundation of CanadaminorOthersCharitable partnership supporting youth scholarships. The Merry Dairy hosted ice cream truck visit to Roger Neilson Children's Hospice in support of James running 7500km to raise $250,000 for scholarships.
• ParLUGment (Ottawa LEGO Users Group)minorOthersCommunity partnership hosting ParLUGment Day at The Merry Dairy where LEGO enthusiasts build masterpieces at 102 Fairmont.
• Sundae SocialminorOthersPhotography partnership for promotional imagery of The Merry Dairy products and events.
• LEGOminorOthersLEGO partnership through ParLUGment Day events and pre-order of Merry Dairy Ice Cream Truck Kit made with LEGO Bricks (available July 8, 2026 for $40).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Baskin-Robbins: Global ice cream chain operating scoop shops with rotating flavor menus and packaged pint sales. Directly comparable to The Merry Dairy's scoop-shop and pint business, though at vastly larger scale and with standardized (non-allergen-controlled) production.
• Sweet Jesus: Canadian premium ice cream chain known for indulgent soft-serve creations and social-media-driven branding. Comparable to The Merry Dairy as a Canadian premium ice cream retail brand with similar scoop-shop and soft-serve offerings.
• Ben & Jerry's: Premium ice cream brand with company-owned scoop shops, packaged pint retail, and a strong values-driven brand narrative. Closely comparable to The Merry Dairy on premium positioning, scoop-shop + pint distribution model, and brand storytelling.
• Cold Stone Creamery: Ice cream franchise chain offering made-to-order scoops with mix-ins, cakes, and catering. Directly comparable to The Merry Dairy's in-store scoop, cake, and event-catering offerings, though operating at chain scale rather than single-location artisanal scale.
• Marble Slab Creamery: Ice cream franchise specializing in small-batch, hand-mixed premium scoops on a frozen marble slab. Comparable product format and premium positioning to The Merry Dairy's on-site artisanal scoop model.
• La Diperie: Canadian ice cream chain specializing in premium dipped cones and artisanal flavors. Directly comparable as a Canadian scoop-shop concept with premium positioning and similar product mix.

Regional players

• Kawartha Dairy: Ontario-based regional dairy and ice cream brand with retail pint distribution across Ontario and scoop-shop-style locations. Comparable to The Merry Dairy as a Canadian/Ontario-focused premium dairy ice cream brand, though serving a broader provincial footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Chapman's: Largest Canadian-owned ice cream manufacturer producing packaged pints, novelties, and ice cream cakes for retail. Comparable to The Merry Dairy's wholesale pint and ice cream cake lines, though operating as a national co-manufacturer rather than single-location artisanal producer.
• Nestlé Canada (Ice Cream): Major packaged ice cream producer in Canada (Drumstick, Häagen-Dazs under license, etc.) with broad grocery and convenience distribution. Relevant incumbent comparison for The Merry Dairy's wholesale pint ambitions and competitive positioning in Canadian retail.
• Häagen-Dazs: Established premium global ice cream brand with shops and broad packaged pint distribution. Comparable as a premium ice cream incumbent overlapping with The Merry Dairy's pint and scoop business, but operating at massive scale as part of a global portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/themerrydairy
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheMerryDairy
• Instagraminstagram.com/themerrydairy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/themerrydairy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Merry Dairy