Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Lucy Goosey

(2,940 posts)
Mon Jul 23, 2012, 08:18 AM Jul 2012

Baskin-Robbins and the Walmartization of Ice Cream

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2012/07/20/baskin-robbins-and-the-walmartization-of-ice-cream/

It’s been an unusually hot summer, and soaring temperatures have boosted sales of that quintessential summer food, ice cream. But Baskin-Robbins has decided to shut its production facility in Peterborough, Ont., and lay off 80 workers because of…wait for it… increased demand!

From the department of “wait, what?”, here’s the scoop behind this brain-freeze-inducing decision.

Though business is up, the company says expanding production is not part of the game plan. Peterborough is the last place in North America where Baskin-Robbins makes what it sells, and those 80 CAW-organized workers supply a third of the 4,200 outlets outside of the U.S., including 113 Canadian stores.

That production is now moving to third-party suppliers. Canadians’ demand will be supplied by Scotsburn Dairy in Truro, N.S. — for now. Like Peterborough, it’s also a union shop (CAW). But most of what Peterborough produced will now be made in El-Paso, Texas, a right-to-work state with no minimum wage. Only 5.3 per cent of workers are union members in that state.

(The CAW is Canada's largest private sector union.)

This story has a Romney connection, too - Baskin Robbins' parent company is owned by Bain Capital, though to be fair, Bain only acquired it in 2006.
8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Baskin-Robbins and the Walmartization of Ice Cream (Original Post) Lucy Goosey Jul 2012 OP
Before Bain it was Carlyle Group. Atman Jul 2012 #1
I still see a Willard hand print in the ice cream Angry Dragon Jul 2012 #2
milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla KurtNYC Jul 2012 #3
Haagen Das...still basic ingredients. dixiegrrrrl Jul 2012 #8
I will stick with Ben and Jerry's and Giffords. GreenPartyVoter Jul 2012 #4
F.Y.I. Ben & Jerry's owned by British-Dutch Unilever conglomerate. dixiegrrrrl Jul 2012 #6
*sigh* Why must all things wind up in the hands of megacorporations? GreenPartyVoter Jul 2012 #7
They decided long ago ... surrealAmerican Jul 2012 #5

Atman

(31,464 posts)
1. Before Bain it was Carlyle Group.
Mon Jul 23, 2012, 08:33 AM
Jul 2012

As in George H.W. Bush.

I stay out of Baskin Robins just as I don't step foot in Wal Mart.

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)
3. milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla
Mon Jul 23, 2012, 09:27 AM
Jul 2012

real ice cream used to be so good. so simple. Now it is artificial, factory food made 3000 miles away.

surrealAmerican

(11,340 posts)
5. They decided long ago ...
Mon Jul 23, 2012, 11:12 AM
Jul 2012

... that the quality of their ice cream was irrelevant to their sales (and profits). When quality doesn't matter, of course they will go for the cheapest product.

This leaves open a niche for ice cream shops that make superior products on site. I hope to see a proliferation of such small businesses.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»Baskin-Robbins and the Wa...