How It All Started
Believe it or not, there was a time before cell phones, before internet, even before Crocs. Way back in 1982 on the little island of Lopez, our company began in a kitchen about the size of a bedroom. Using only the highest quality ingredients, the first batches came out of a machine that looks surprisingly similar to what we are using today. This is an important point; we have not changed the way we freeze our ice cream since the very beginning. Not only that, we still use the same American made machines! Now, I know what you’re thinking: we are old fashioned. Yes, good point, but we’re also innovative. We are one of few ice cream companies our size making ice cream from scratch, using old and new technologies to keep each pint of ice cream of the highest quality and safety. This is no easy process and we take great pride in our ability to do this. Now, where was I? Right! As we developed more flavors and our reputation for making great ice cream grew, we started selling to customers throughout the San Juan Islands and into Skagit Valley. We made process improvements and moved locations twice while on Lopez Island. We even made pizzas for a few years! In 2010, Lopez Island Creamery became so popular that we had to move off of Lopez Island and into Anacortes. This move was made to not only better serve customers, but to also lessen the company’s carbon footprint by cutting down on the number of ferry trips transporting ingredients and finished products.
We are now on our 5th factory (a full hand if you’re counting with your fingers). Lucky number 5 is a state of the art, 17,000 square foot factory in Anacortes, WA and is the culmination of many years of planning. We have improved our processes, efficiency, safety, and even our carbon footprint! We hate to bore you with math, but half of the electricity we use is generated by our solar farm on the roof of our factory, more than any other ice cream company in the country that we know of.
Throughout our growth we have continued to produce a super-premium ice cream using the same small batch method and high quality ingredients that we did when the business first opened. A commitment to producing a locally sourced, all natural, handmade ice cream is still our highest priority. Today you can find our ice cream at the finest restaurants and grocery stores throughout the west coast.
Washington’s Lopez Island residents are locally famous for their long standing custom of waving at every motorist, bicyclist, and pedestrian encountered on Lopez Island, coining the phrase “the friendly island.” Lopez Island Creamery is inspired by the rich quality of life experienced on the Island and we still keep that same mentality from where it all began.
