The Childhay Manor story began in the early 1980s when Tim Frost (founder) started producing ice cream from milk produced by his dairy herd at Childhay Manor Farm in Beaminster, Dorset. The business was purchased by Cricket St Thomas Dairies in the mid-eighties and latterly purchased by Jeff Munro in the early nineties, who moved production to Yarde Farm in Devon, who then owned half the brand.

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Sales grew significantly in the mid-nineties when specialist ice cream and retail frozen food distributor Ice Express bought half the brand. Trevor Crossfield Co-Owner of Ice Express and retired Hunts Food Group Sales Director then started supplying the South Devon, North Devon and Dorset Coastline in addition to supplying regional wholesalers including Hunts and Sunnyside Distribution which rapidly grew sales.

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Hunts has been selling Childhay Manor for over 30 years, the product is made using premium ingredients such as fresh double cream and Cornish clotted cream to give the best possible taste. One of the brands unique selling points enables customers to name flavours after local attractions or areas and Richard King a member of the Hunts Sales Team for 32 years until retirement in December 2021 recalls Sherborne Strawberry as one of the most popular names.

In the mid-2000s Ice Express sold to Sunnyside distribution based in Weston-Super-Mare who latterly sold to Hunts Food Group in 2007 and in January 2008 Hunts purchased the Childhay Brand. Childhay has recently under-gone a re-brand to its new pink and white colours and in recent years exciting news flavours such as Lotus Biscoff, Reese’s peanut butter, plant-based options and sorbets have all been added to the range.

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