By Meggie Patton, Food Hub Operations Director
There are few pairings more iconic than Vermont summers and maple creemees. These seasonal delights are so pervasive that locals and guests alike can visit upwards of 200 creemee stands throughout the state. There’s even a passport, courtesy of EAT Vermont.
Few folks know that one family farm is behind the majority of Vermont’s creemee magic: Kingdom Creamery of Vermont in East Hardwick, VT. Owners Leslie and Jeremy Michaud estimate that a significant amount of the passport’s creemee stands use Kingdom Creamery’s ice cream mix. Leslie confirmed that they work with several local distributors, so it’s difficult to know exactly how many end customers they serve. But the numbers don’t lie; there’s noticeable growth over the last three years, including among national distributors (there’s even a customer in North Carolina).
I asked Leslie what made the mix so special. The secret: fresh Vermont dairy. Kingdom Creamery is a fourth-generation family farm with an on-site production facility, meaning the cows are milked and the ice cream mix is made fresh on the same property. All Kingdom Creamery products are all-natural, with no artificial flavors or colors, and rBST-free. Every mix starts from scratch from original recipes, and each flavor combination is unique.
Kingdom Creamery fills a crucial niche, no doubt. But it’s a tough business with all hands on deck. Three generations of Michauds are still actively involved in the day-to-day running of the business, from raising calves, milking cows, fixing machinery, managing accounts, and, of course, making ice cream.
There’s a lot of hard work behind every glorious maple creemee. Leslie shared that they work incredibly long days and face significant rising costs – challenges felt throughout the Vermont dairy industry. It’s a complex, difficult business, but “This is what we do,” Leslie affirmed. “We’re proud of our agricultural roots; we want to do this for our family.”
