Cow's
Encyclopedia
Cows is an ice cream
manufacturer and chain of ice cream parlors based in Charlottetown
, Prince Edward Island
, Canada. Cows was founded in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island
in 1983, and has since expanded into cheddar cheese
, and cow-themed merchandise. Cows was named "Canada's best ice cream" in a survey of readers of Reader's Digest
and named the world's top place to get ice cream by Tauck World Discovery
.
in 1983. In 2006 Cows began producing cheese, including their principle product, Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. Cows was voted "Canada's best ice cream" in a Reader's Digest
opinion poll, and in 2008 was listed as number 1 in the "World's Top Ten Places for Ice Cream" by Tauck World Discovery. Of Cows ten stores (located in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and British Columbia), seven of them are in Price Edward Island, where all the ice cream is produced.
The original "Cows T-shirt" design was created by PEI graphic artist Marc Gallant in 1987. He went on to create several "whimsical cow themed designs" for 7 years until his passing in 1994. Shortly after, Cows President Scott Linkletter hired Graphic Designer Shawn Mader to continue the line. From 1994 to present day, Shawn has created over 150 unique Cow designs, adorning everything from the Cows classic 100% cotton t-shirt to calendars, mugs, pens, etc.
In 2007 Cows announced that they would be building a new 25000 square foot corporate office in Charlottetown, paid for by a loan from the government of Prince Edward Island
. The new Cows facility would be modeled after the Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's
headquarters, and would serve as both an centralized production facility for all Cows ice cream and shirts. The new headquarters will also act a tourist attraction where visitors can watch the ice cream and clothing being produced. In 2008 the plan for the facility had grown to 32000 square foot integrating a production area for cheese.
(which many Cavendish businesses use for marketing). Other varieties include "Gooey Mooey", "Wowie Cowie" and "Moo Crunch".
in Northern Scotland
. Linkletter was taken by the local cheese and partnered with a local cheese maker who would give him the recipe which would in turn be the foundation for Cows "signature cheese", Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. While developing the recipe for Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar, Linletter and Prince Edward Island cheese maker Armand Bernard created a second cheese, PEI Cheddar.
Cows makes Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar in 10 kilograms (22 lb) wheels, and ages it for 12 months. Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar gets the "clothbound" name from the "traditional cheddar-making technique", of wrapping it in cheese cloth, a method that oringinated in Somerset
, England (the town of Cheddar
, where Cheddar cheese gets its name from is in the county of Somerset). The name Avonlea comes from link between Prince Edward Island and Anne of Green Gables
. Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar won its category's second prize at the 2008 Chicago conference of the American Cheese Society.
of the Phoenix" (Harry Potter
) and television series' such as "Trailer Park Cows" (Trailer Park Boys
)
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
manufacturer and chain of ice cream parlors based in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Canada. Cows was founded in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island
Cavendish, Prince Edward Island
Cavendish is a Canadian unincorporated rural area in the township of Lot 23, Queens County, Prince Edward Island. Its primary industries are tourism and agriculture. Cavendish is the largest seasonal resort area on Prince Edward Island...
in 1983, and has since expanded into cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
, and cow-themed merchandise. Cows was named "Canada's best ice cream" in a survey of readers of Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
and named the world's top place to get ice cream by Tauck World Discovery
Tauck
Tauck is an operator of guided tours and cruises; in 1925 it became the first tour operator to be awarded a federal Tour Broker’s License by the U.S. government. The company, which celebrated its 85th anniversary in 2010, is owned and operated by the Tauck family and is based in Norwalk, CT...
.
History
The first Cows opened in Cavendish, Prince Edward IslandCavendish, Prince Edward Island
Cavendish is a Canadian unincorporated rural area in the township of Lot 23, Queens County, Prince Edward Island. Its primary industries are tourism and agriculture. Cavendish is the largest seasonal resort area on Prince Edward Island...
in 1983. In 2006 Cows began producing cheese, including their principle product, Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. Cows was voted "Canada's best ice cream" in a Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
opinion poll, and in 2008 was listed as number 1 in the "World's Top Ten Places for Ice Cream" by Tauck World Discovery. Of Cows ten stores (located in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and British Columbia), seven of them are in Price Edward Island, where all the ice cream is produced.
The original "Cows T-shirt" design was created by PEI graphic artist Marc Gallant in 1987. He went on to create several "whimsical cow themed designs" for 7 years until his passing in 1994. Shortly after, Cows President Scott Linkletter hired Graphic Designer Shawn Mader to continue the line. From 1994 to present day, Shawn has created over 150 unique Cow designs, adorning everything from the Cows classic 100% cotton t-shirt to calendars, mugs, pens, etc.
In 2007 Cows announced that they would be building a new 25000 square foot corporate office in Charlottetown, paid for by a loan from the government of Prince Edward Island
Government of Prince Edward Island
The Government of Prince Edward Island refers to the provincial government of the province of Prince Edward Island. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
. The new Cows facility would be modeled after the Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's is an American ice cream company, a division of the British-Dutch Unilever conglomerate, that manufactures ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and ice cream novelty products, manufactured by Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings, Inc., headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont, United...
headquarters, and would serve as both an centralized production facility for all Cows ice cream and shirts. The new headquarters will also act a tourist attraction where visitors can watch the ice cream and clothing being produced. In 2008 the plan for the facility had grown to 32000 square foot integrating a production area for cheese.
Ice cream
Cows produces over 32 varieties of "super premium" ice cream, including "Freckle Frenzy", a take off of Anne of Green GablesAnne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. Set in 1878, it was written as fiction for readers of all ages, but in recent decades has been considered a children's book...
(which many Cavendish businesses use for marketing). Other varieties include "Gooey Mooey", "Wowie Cowie" and "Moo Crunch".
Cheese
In 2006 Cows expanded their brand to cheddar cheese. The expansion came after Cows owner Scott Linkletter took a trip to the Orkney IslandsOrkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
in Northern Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Linkletter was taken by the local cheese and partnered with a local cheese maker who would give him the recipe which would in turn be the foundation for Cows "signature cheese", Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. While developing the recipe for Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar, Linletter and Prince Edward Island cheese maker Armand Bernard created a second cheese, PEI Cheddar.
Cows makes Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar in 10 kilograms (22 lb) wheels, and ages it for 12 months. Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar gets the "clothbound" name from the "traditional cheddar-making technique", of wrapping it in cheese cloth, a method that oringinated in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England (the town of Cheddar
Cheddar
Cheddar is a large village and civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of the English county of Somerset. It is situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, north-west of Wells. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Nyland and Bradley Cross...
, where Cheddar cheese gets its name from is in the county of Somerset). The name Avonlea comes from link between Prince Edward Island and Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. Set in 1878, it was written as fiction for readers of all ages, but in recent decades has been considered a children's book...
. Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar won its category's second prize at the 2008 Chicago conference of the American Cheese Society.
Merchandise
Cows markets their product on "cow-themed merchandise", which are parodies of movies, such as "Dairy Potter/Cowy Potter and the UdderUdder
An udder is an organ formed of the mammary glands of female quadruped mammals, especially ruminants such as cattle, goats, sheep and deer. The udder is a single mass hanging beneath the animal, consisting of pairs of mammary glands...
of the Phoenix" (Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
) and television series' such as "Trailer Park Cows" (Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian comedy mockumentary television series created and directed by Mike Clattenburg that focuses on the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, some of whom are ex-convicts, living in the fictional Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The...
)