CREAM o’ Galloway have hit back at criticism following the announcement of the brand’s move to Yorkshire.
Owners Brymor Ice Cream declared that they would be moving production from its birth place near Gatehouse of Fleet to their site outside Masham in North Yorkshire.
However, the move was greeted with anger and disappointment from residents across the region, with some claiming that ‘it won’t be cream of Galloway any more’.
In response, managing director Paul Hodgson released a lengthy statement last Friday giving more detail about the decision. He said: “We took over in January 2024. We saved the business, brand and jobs. The business and brand will continue, however the re-structure is based on having a sustainable business model.
“I appreciate this is sensitive, but we are totally focused on keeping this brand, working within the local community, within Dumfries and Galloway, within Scotland, and making this a success.
“It was evident from the outset that the manufacturing equipment was tired and worn out. The whole site infrastructure was tired. The outdoor play area was closed/condemned and needed to be removed. “This issue became more and more evident as we traded through 2024, and this coupled with other issues meant that we viewed that the site was no longer safe. The site required significant investment which could not be justified, and we must change to have a viable sustainable solution. So hence the reason for this restructure.”
Mr Hodgson stressed their commitment to the brand, adding: “We are very excited about taking Cream Galloway forward.
“We recognise that there is deep affection for Cream o’ Galloway Ice Cream and the brand.
“Whilst I appreciate the concern about this change, we do need to keep this in context. We need to understand the actual impact and have a glass half full approach. We need to embrace change as it is a constant feature of business and society today.”
