Coast Mountain Dairy gets bought

Coast Mountain Dairy, a B.C. ice cream maker, has been bought by the owner of one of the West’s largest distributors of frozen treats and ice cream.

John Coughlan, CEO of TransCold Distribution, purchased Coast Mountain Feb. 1.

Coast Mountain manufacturers private-label ice cream as well as ice cream under the Mountain Pride and Arctic Star brands. Its products are sold at ice cream shops, convenience and grocery stores.

TransCold distributes brands such as Magnum, Popsicle, Klondike, Ben and Jerry’s, Chapman’s and Breyers in Western Canada and the U.S.

The company was set up in 2002 by Coughlan when Unilever opted to contract out its Western Canadian frozen goods distribution business.

Coughlan also owns a Vancouver-based ice cream maker, Sara’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream.

Under the new ownership, TransCold will handle distribution of Coast Mountain products.

Coast Mountain, meanwhile, will take over the manufacturing of certain Sara’s ice creams. Coast Mountain’s plant in Chilliwack, B.C. has a larger capacity than Sara’s facility in Vancouver, says TransCold spokesperson Jaimie Gifford.

Sara’s ice cream cakes, which are sold at grocery chains such as Safeway, Thrifty, Sobeys and H.Y. Louie’s Marketplace IGA, will continue to be made at the Vancouver facility, Gifford said.

In a press statement, Coughlan said Coast Mountain, TransCold and Sara’s together form a perfect fit.

“Together we will further strengthen our positions in ice cream and frozen distribution, as well as serve our consumers and customers with an even more complete offering,” he said.