Empty waffle cups on a gray plate. Preparation for desserts and ice cream
Supply chain issues struck a popular Massachusetts ice cream maker just ahead of a sweltering weekend, sending ripples around New England.
Richardson's Ice Cream has been running low on some ice cream flavors and wasn't able to fulfill all of the wholesale orders that other shops placed, the Middleton, Massachusetts, institution said Thursday.
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"We are working hard to replenish our stock, so that we can serve all our customers as usual in the coming days. We are not there yet, but will do all in our power to get there as soon as possible," a representative told NBC Boston in an email.
The shortfall at Richardson's was prompted by a sugar shipment that didn't come through earlier this month, the representative said, which prompted "several days of missed production." But on Wednesday, the full stock of ingredients had arrived for full ice cream production to resume.
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The representative called the timing "particularly unfortunate in that many of our wholesale customers had just placed their season opening order which depleted our freezers."
Richardon's sells to independent ice cream shops in the region, and at least one has acknowledged that they are feeling it. Leavitt's Ice Cream in Atkinson, New Hampshire, said in a post on its Facebook page Wednesday night it would find an alternative premium ice cream to sell while the supply of Richardson's was low.
"This is just one more hurdle on the roller coaster ride we have all been on for the past two years," Leavitt's wrote.
Richardson's is a long-standing, family-owned dairy farm that began its wholesale business in 1978. They make dozens of flavors.
There may be a lot of people looking for ice cream in New England this weekend, when temperatures are expected to break records.
A source to industry publication Boston Restaurant Talk noted that the shortfall only affects shops that carry Richardson's ice cream, recommending that people call ahead if they planned to go out for the sweet stuff over the weekend.
