Peter Howard, a most enterprising man, retired from the Merchant Navy and in 1981 established an ice cream company – Salcombe Dairy – in the small, stone built shed at the bottom of Coronation Road in Salcombe. Why? Whilst on the beach in North Devon with his wife, enjoying the sun, sea and sand, he proudly announced “I think I shall start an ice cream company.” The thought became reality and the base ice cream recipe Peter devised before opening the company is the exact recipe that we use today.
Through good times, bad times, hey days and holidays, Salcombe Dairy has endured: principally because the ice cream is so very good. And it is so very good due to the quality of the ingredients and the passion and exacting standards of the people who make it. The milk has always come straight from the farm first thing each morning, the double cream has always come from the creamery in mid Devon. The sugar and butter come from farther afield because we can’t get them in Devon, but it is the best we can find. As for the flavour ingredients – we always secure the very best quality – using nothing artificial or unnatural – and if the best available is in Devon, that’s where it comes from.
Definitely a cut above other frozen desserts, Salcombe Dairy’s ice creams, sorbets and crushes appeal to the most discerning palates – but we believe everyone should try them. They are most definitely: scrumptious, sophisticated and simply superb.
Salcombe Dairy has achieved a Grade A for BRC Issue 5. This is a fantastic achievement where we can now demonstrate that, not only do we make fantastic ice cream, but we make it to very stringent standards!
