A Victoria ice-cream company is hoping to bridge the divide between retailers and people struggling with addiction, who have been shoplifting high-end ice cream from grocery stores as a quick sugar fix.
According to police, those who use methamphetamine in particular often crave sugar and high-fat treats.
On Tuesday morning, 49 Below Ice Cream delivered 100 individual servings of peanut butter ice cream to Our Place, which provides drop-in and other support services to those dealing with homelessess, mental-health issues and addiction. The ice cream is made with Victoria-based Fatso peanut butter.
Amy Ayer, who is in charge of “special ops” for 49 Below, said the seven-year-old firm was inspired by a story in the Times Colonist on the increase in thefts of premium ice cream from grocers, which has prompted stores to keep their premium ice cream in freezers behind the scenes or store only limited amounts on shelves.
“If we were in a desert country and people were outside and thirsty and so they were stealing water, why would I not just give them water? This is helping people with a need that they have,” Ayer said.
“And it just brings some joy and pleasure to people’s lives. Just because you are on the street or down and out or whatever, your life situation doesn’t mean that you’re not deserving of simple pleasures.”
Both Victoria police and grocers say the thefts seem to be related to addiction. The high fat and sugar content of ice cream is what the thieves are going after.
Ayer said 49 Below has also felt the sting of retail theft. Its ice-cream sandwich used to be sold at Market on Yates, but 49 Below discontinued the sales a few years ago, as it was the most stolen product in the store, said Ayer. “We related so closely to the article [about ice cream theft] — we do feel the impact of small business losing sales.”
But Ayer said what really hit home from the newspaper story was the sentiment expressed by Robert Jay of Fairway Markets. Jay said society has to step up and do something to help out those struggling with drug addiction.
“What we read is there is a need in our community that we are in a perfect position to fill,” she said. “We can’t ourselves change policy. We can’t with one action make the systemic change that our city so desperately needs to support this community. But we can give people the comfort and joy of ice cream. So that is what we are going to do.”
The ice cream company rotates through about 60 different flavours and it has six staple flavours available year-round in retail locations around the Island and at its storefront on Cadboro Bay Road near Estevan Avenue.
aduffy@timescolonist