Cheshire Farm Ice Cream

What Cheshire Farm Ice Cream does

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream Limited is a family-run UK dairy ice cream manufacturer founded in 1986 by Tom and Margaret Fell at Drumlan Hall Farm, Tattenhall, Chester. The business is vertically integrated on a single site: 300 Friesian cows are milked less than 500 metres from the production facility, with milk converted to ice cream in approximately 24 hours via in-house pasteurisation and aging using a 6-base-ingredient recipe. Headcount is 11–50 employees, and the operation is overseen by two generations of the Fell family. Core products comprise real dairy ice cream (40+ flavours), fruit sorbets (16+ varieties), and vegan/non-dairy options (25+ SKUs), packed in 125ml impulse tubs through to 5L catering formats, with a specialist 'Chef's Accompaniments' sub-range in 4L format for fine-dining applications. A fleet of freezer vans handles direct nationwide delivery with same-day and emergency order capability; broader reach is achieved via distribution partners, and the company operates a custom iOS/Android mobile app for trade ordering.

The company's revenue model combines B2B wholesale to 1,000+ trade outlets (pubs, restaurants, hotels, attractions, cafés, retail) with direct-to-consumer sales through The Ice Cream Farm visitor attraction (Guinness World Record holder for largest ice cream shop), the Ice Cream Drive-In, the Sticky Paws family restaurant, and a Click & Collect service. Pricing is quote-based with trade accounts required (not publicly disclosed). Customer concentration is dispersed across hospitality SMBs plus a small set of enterprise accounts including Chester Zoo (exclusive-flavour partnership), National Trust North West properties, Nelson Hotels, The Parogon Group, and the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. Marketing is led by organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and the company website, supported by partner-driven referrals.

Operations are differentiated by sustainability investments (BRCGS AA accreditation, Green Small Business certification 2024, intent to pursue B Corp, 20% on-site solar power, 96% renewable-sourced electricity, EV fleet targets, biodegradable/compostable packaging, tub-to-bench recycling) and by local sourcing partnerships (Henllan Bakery, Halen Mon, Three Wrens Gin, Clotton Creamery, Mrs Darlington's). Corporate activity is limited to the historical evolution of the original on-site parlour into The Ice Cream Farm visitor attraction; no external funding rounds, acquisitions, M&A, or leadership changes have been disclosed.

Name

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream

Legal name

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream Limited

Website

https://cheshirefarmicecream.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream is a family-run UK real dairy ice cream manufacturer founded in 1986 in Chester, producing 40+ flavours plus vegan and sorbet lines from on-site cow-to-cup operations, and supplying 1,000+ trade outlets alongside The Ice Cream Farm visitor attraction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Ice Cream Manufacturing

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAHAC), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)

Keywords

• Real dairy ice cream
• Ice cream manufacturer
• Wholesale ice cream supply
• Fruit sorbets production
• Vegan ice cream

Headquarters

HQ city

Chester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Ice Cream Sales: Supplying trade customers including pubs, restaurants, hotels, and retail outlets with ice cream products in various sizes from 125ml impulse tubs to 5L catering tubs. Direct delivery via own fleet of freezer vans or distribution partners.
2. Retail Ice Cream Sales: Direct consumer sales through The Ice Cream Farm visitor attraction, Ice Cream Drive-In, and The Ice Cream Farm's Click and Collect service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream is a family-run manufacturer of premium real dairy ice cream, fruit sorbets, and vegan ice cream, produced on-site from a vertically integrated supply chain (cows milked less than 500m from the production facility, with a 24-hour milking-to-ice-cream turnaround). It supplies more than 40 flavours across multiple pack sizes to over 1,000 wholesale trade outlets (pubs, restaurants, hotels, retail) and also operates The Ice Cream Farm visitor attraction and Ice Cream Drive-In for direct consumer sales.

Product overview

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream is a family-run dairy ice cream manufacturer based in Tattenhall, Chester. Its core product portfolio comprises real dairy ice cream in over 40 flavours (available in 125ml impulse tubs, 500ml–1L retail tubs, and 2L–5L catering/scooping tubs), non-dairy and vegan ice cream alternatives (6+ varieties in 500ml–2.5L formats), and a fruit sorbet range (16+ varieties including premium variants, in 125ml–2.5L). The wholesale and trade supply operation distributes to over 1,000 outlets via its own fleet of freezer vans and distribution partners. A companion mobile app (iOS/Android) enables trade customers to place orders, track status, and manage invoices. The company also operates The Ice Cream Farm, a visitor attraction that holds the Guinness World Record for the largest ice cream shop, alongside its Ice Cream Drive-In and Sticky Paws restaurant. Point-of-sale and branding materials are offered to trade stockists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Ice Cream Farm: Award-winning visitor attraction with entertainment for the whole family, located at the original farm site. Holds Guinness World Record for being the 'largest ice cream shop in the world'.
• Ice Cream Drive In
• Sticky Paws

Products and services

• Real Dairy Ice Cream Multi-award-winning real dairy ice cream made from just 6 base ingredients, pasteurised and aged in-house, available in over 40 flavours including Vanilla (Madagascan), Stracchiatella, Matcha & White Chocolate Ripple, Chocolate, Mint Choc Chip, Honeycomb, Salted Caramel and limited edition Peaches & Cream. Pack sizes span 125ml impulse tubs, 500ml and 1L retail tubs, and 2L/4L/5L catering tubs. Targeted at both wholesale trade buyers and retail consumers.
• Fruit Sorbets Fruit sorbet range in 16+ variants including Blackcurrant, Blood Orange, Gin & Tonic, Lemon, Mango, Passion Fruit, Prosecco Blush, Raspberry and premium variants; available in 125ml, 500ml and 2.5L formats for trade and retail customers seeking dairy-free dessert options.
• Vegan Ice Creams Plant-based ice cream alternatives including Bubblegum, Chocolate, Coconut, Honeycomb, Raspberry Ripple and Vanilla; available in 500ml and 2.5L formats with Honeycomb also in 125ml, for vegan and dairy-free trade and consumer buyers.
• Chef's Accompaniments Specialist ice cream flavours intended as culinary accompaniments, including Cinnamon, Custard, Green Tea, Irish Cream, Marmalade and Orange Liqueur, supplied in 4L format for chefs and caterers.
• Wholesale and Trade Supply Wholesale ice cream supply service delivering to over 1,000 outlets across the Northwest and hundreds more nationwide via distribution partners, with own-fleet freezer van delivery, account management, and point-of-sale branding support for pubs, restaurants, hotels, attractions, cafés and retail stockists.
• Cheshire Farm Trade Mobile App Proprietary mobile application for trade customers to place orders, track order status, view order history and invoices, and access exclusive offers. Available on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play).
• The Ice Cream Farm (Visitor Attraction) Family visitor attraction in Tattenhall, Chester, housing the Guinness World Record for the largest ice cream shop in the world, including the Ice Cream Drive-In and the Sticky Paws family restaurant, offering direct consumer ice cream sales and day-out experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 years in business, still family-run with two generations of the Fell family overseeing all operations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chester ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partner for exclusive flavour development. Chester Zoo works with Cheshire Farm to create unique, exclusive flavours that complement the zoo's brand. Cheshire Farm provides sustainability support with innovative packaging solutions.
• Henllan BakeryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bakery partnership for ingredient sourcing, aligned with ethos of using local produce from the Cheshire area.
• Halen MonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal supplier partnership for quality local ingredients, supporting the company's commitment to Cheshire-sourced produce.
• Three Wrens GinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local gin producer enabling creation of gin-flavoured ice creams and sorbets such as Gin & Tonic sorbet.
• Clotton CreameryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal creamery partnership supporting local dairy sourcing for the real dairy ice cream production.
• Mrs Darlington'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Mrs Darlington's Lemon Curd to create Mrs Darlington's Lemon Curd ice cream flavour using their locally-produced lemon curd.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Kelly's of Cornwall (Pukka): Cornwall-based dairy ice cream brand with national distribution into impulse and foodservice. Comparable on dairy heritage and impulse/retail ice cream categories, though operating in a different UK region.

Broad incumbents

• Bel Group (Laughing Cow / Babybel) — The Laughing Cow Ice Cream and similar: Bel has expanded into UK dairy ice cream through brand extensions into impulse and family packs. Broader incumbent increasing competition in the family/impulse segment Cheshire Farm targets.
• Wall's Ice Cream (Unilever): Unilever's flagship UK impulse and foodservice ice cream brand family including Wall's, Magnum, and Ben & Jerry's. Direct competitor for trade freezer placement, listings, and impulse share with materially larger marketing and trade investment budgets.
• Snowflake (Müller): Müller-owned ice cream brand with significant UK foodservice and retail presence in dairy and impulse ice cream. Broader incumbent with national scale that competes with Cheshire Farm for trade and impulse listings.
• Haagen-Dazs (General Mills / Nestlé partner): Premium-positioned international ice cream brand with strong UK foodservice and retail presence. Competes with Cheshire Farm at the premium foodservice tier where buyers compare supplier ranges and provenance.

Direct peers

• Beechdean Farmhouse Dairy Ice Cream: UK dairy ice cream manufacturer with farm-integrated production, private-label and branded lines across retail and foodservice. Comparable on production scale, dairy sourcing, and trade supply model.
• Mackie's of Scotland: Family-owned, farm-integrated UK ice cream manufacturer with nationwide wholesale distribution and a range of dairy, sorbet, and light ice cream products. Closely comparable to Cheshire Farm on heritage, vertical integration, and trade-led GTM.
• Northern Bloc Ice Cream: UK craft ice cream producer offering a broad range of dairy, vegan, and sorbet flavours into foodservice and retail. Comparable on product breadth, trade-channel focus, and emphasis on quality and ingredient-led positioning.
• Brymor Ice Cream: Independent, family-run dairy ice cream maker based in North Yorkshire producing premium real dairy ice cream with on-farm dairy supply. Comparable on craft-dairy positioning, regional UK wholesale, and broad flavour portfolio including vegan lines.

Others

• Yeo Valley Production: UK family-owned dairy brand with farm-integrated production extending into ice cream and frozen desserts. Adjacent peer sharing provenance-led, sustainability-credentialed positioning in UK dairy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CheshireFarmIceCream
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cheshire-farm-ice-cream-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/cheshirefarm_icecream
• Xx.com/CheshireFarm1

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Cheshire Farm Ice Cream