With up to 40 udderly ridiculous flavours of homemade hard ice cream, 24 gumball machines, and shelves stocked with retro sweet treats, Cowichan Bay’s Original Udder Guys Ice Cream and Candy will have those from four to 94 feeling like a kid in a candy shop.
The first big scoop of old-fashioned artisan ice cream came in 1999 when Judy and Yves Muselle dipped a cone into the venture. Yves, who had a background in hospitality, felt there was a need to give people a taste of real, authentic ice cream.
The cool business first began in their home’s commercial kitchen, where Judy honed her hobby of making hard ice cream free from artificial or unnatural products. It soon got moo-ving under the name Udder Guys Ice Cream Company Ltd. in 2001, when the couple launched their ice cream dream out of the Duncan Garage using their own formulas.
From there, it swiftly grew into a much larger venture, supplying more than 200 retail stores and several ice cream parlours. As the business expanded, the Muselles brought in shareholders and a consultant to help manage the rapid growth and costs. After starting in Duncan, the couple moved to a few different spaces in Cowichan Bay before settling into their current, third and most iconic location — now a cherished part of Cowichan Bay’s charm.
Cowabunga! After some misfortune, the Muselles believed that going bigger with investors in 2013 meant greener pastures. This led to a short-lived name change — Morning Mist Ice Cream and Candy — and a move further down the Cow Bay strip to access the hydro needed for upgraded equipment.
However, it became udderly clear that bigger doesn’t always mean better. The business eventually returned to its original roots and beloved name.
Then it came time for the original owners to pass the scoop.
Lizzi and Dave Johnson, originally from England, recently celebrated two years as the new owners, having taken over in March 2023 — even though, as Lizzi jokes, it feels a little longer.
“It feels so good to know that we have such a loyal following,” said Johnson. “We now have people who bring their children to show them that this is where they got their first ice cream when they were a kid, and that is very rewarding. To be part of that is quite something, plus the community around us is so lovely and have been very supportive since we took over and have been real cheerleaders for us.”
While the Johnsons had never worked in food or retail before, they successfully ran a landscaping and construction business in England for 10 years, called Hedgehogs. Lizzi’s accounting background also came in handy. The couple had travelled to Vancouver Island several times to visit Dave’s family in Shawnigan Lake.
“We had finally brought the kids out in 2017 for a holiday and just fell in love with it,” said Johnson. “So when we got back home we sold our business, sold our house, and were here within the year.”
After swearing they would never take on another business, fate had other plans. In 2018, Lizzi stumbled across an online listing for Udder Guys — only to discover Dave had seen the same ad. A viewing was booked, the sale was made, and Lizzi — who is also a medium — says she saw it all in the cards before it happened, though she assumed it was meant for someone else.
“Then it all happened, and I was like whoa, it's for us,” said Johnson.
While they chose to keep the name alive, the Johnsons updated the logo to a classic black-and-white cow head print — a nod to Cowichan Bay (affectionately known as Cow Bay) and their young staff, which includes their own four children, now aged 14, 16, 18 and 20.
Being completely new to the ice cream business, Lizzi said that while neither she nor Dave have ever shied away from hard work, the biggest challenge has been the long hours. Lizzi now makes new batches from scratch, seven days a week.
“If there were eight days a week, we'd work eight,” said Johnson. “The hours, and the knowledge and the confidence have all been a challenge knowing the legacy that Yves and Judy had created. For us to continue that felt like quite the load on our shoulders, and it was a lot to ensure that we were following his expectations, because we know how much this business meant to him, so we wanted to do both him and Judy proud as we ensure we make the product as good as it can be.”
They follow the lesser-known KISS rule: keep it sweet and simple. Their ice cream is made only with local eggs, sugar, Island milk and cream.
“The flavour stays in the mouth, it's authentic, and the real deal,” said Johnson.
Despite the long hours, the rewards are sweet. The Johnsons say that not only do they work in an ice cream shop selling candy, but they also get to do it alongside their children, with a beautiful bay view to boot.
“Our kids, who all work here, understand the hours that we put in, we consult with them as much as we can so that they feel that they own this too, so therefore they also take pride in the work they do here,” said Johnson. “There's nothing to complain about. We have this amazing view and often we just have to come out here to pinch ourselves that this is actually where we are.”
Udder Guys has earned a reputation as one of the best places for ice cream on Vancouver Island, and the Johnsons are proud to carry the torch.
“When we built our business up in England doing landscape and construction for 10 years it was also very important for us to find the right person to take it on, so we understood what we were stepping into when we took over from Judy and Yves, because they too turned down several buyers until they found the right fit, so we know the gift we've been given.”
And it’s a gift they don’t take lightly. For them, ice cream isn’t just a dessert — it’s an experience that transcends age, culture and time. Their product remains rooted in the original formulas: made in-store, with no artificial ingredients or colouring.
The scooping cabinet features 24 rotating flavours, including vegan-friendly dairy-free sorbets. Sixteen of the regular flavours always available in the cabinet and by the pint include: Dark Rum and Raisin, Maple Walnut, Very Cherry, Orange and Chocolate, Creamy Caramel, Roasted Coconut, Vanilla Bean, Super Strawberry, Espresso Coffee, Royal Dutch Chocolate, Chocolate Nut Fudge, Minty Chocolate, Not Black Licorice, Zesty Lemon, Mango Madness, and Wild Blackberry.
Other seasonal and specialty flavours available in both pints ($10.99) and by the scoop include: Pistachio Nut, Banana Caramel, Gingerlicious, Pear and Ginger, Just Peachy, Chai Tea, Baileys Coffee, Whiskey Cream, Totally Tiramisu, Refreshing Raspberry, Go Bananas, Cherry with Chocolate, Chocolate Coconut, Perfectly Pear, Toffee Fudge and Magic Mocha.
Whichever flavour you choose, there’s always a little magic at the bottom of the cone — the original owners’ tradition of placing a jelly bean to keep the cone from going soggy lives on.
“If we have a group, we try to put a different colour in each one, so that they can play the jelly bean guessing game,” said Johnson.
Oh, fudge! In July 2024, the Johnsons expanded their offerings to include a line of homemade fudge — anywhere from eight to 12 flavours are available, depending on the day. Their most popular include: Chewy Praline, Maple Walnut, Minty Chocolate and Cappuccino.
“We wanted to deseasonalize the business,” said Johnson. “While the pints are a hot item all year round, selling it by the scoop definitely sees a decline in the colder months, so we wanted to give people another reason to come into Cowichan Bay. The fudge has been really popular, and we now have regulars who come in to buy it on a weekly basis so that's pretty cool.”
They’ve also added a fudge fundraiser option for local clubs, charities and schools. Udder Guys provides a list of flavours, groups collect orders, and proceeds go back to the cause.
As a family-run business, the Johnsons also support the community with local sponsorships, silent auction donations and fundraising efforts. They hope to inspire their kids — and others — to dream big and work hard.
Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. — hours they plan to maintain into the fall — Udder Guys Ice Cream and Candy continues to win hearts with its vintage candy selection, 24 gumball machines, and unforgettable ice cream.
“Running your own business is hard but rewarding. I think once you're an entrepreneur you are always going to be one,” said Johnson. “We've made some really great connections in Cowichan Valley through this business. I hope our customers both new or old enjoy real old-fashioned hard ice cream and that when they come in, they have that feeling of nostalgia as well. When you have a customer leave saying that is the best ice cream they've had in a long time, or that they have ever had, that is what really gets you.”
