News and Testimonials
We've been awarded a Great Taste Star!
Our Simply Dairy gelato ice cream was awarded with a coveted Great Taste Star at the Great Taste Awards - the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink awards. To receive this incredible accolade from one of the top awards in our industry is an absolute honour.
The decision was made to award one star because it delivered on ‘fantastic flavours’ achieved ‘entirely from the high-quality simple ingredients.’ Judges described it as: “This simple looking pale gelato is beautiful in its simplicity. It has a gorgeous, subtle milk flavour that is clean and yet full of dairy charm. It's both refreshing and indulgent.”
Scooping three MKFLA Awards!
At the beginning of November, we won in three awards at the Milton Keynes Food and Leisure awards. We won the prestigious ‘Best in Class for Especially Vegan’ with our House of Luke Single Origin Chocolate dairy free ice cream and ‘Best in Class for Sweet Treat’ for our Foxdenton Rum and Raisin Ice Cream, which went on to be named overall winner as ‘Best Local Produce: Food 2021’. These local awards honour the best culinary talent in and around Milton Keynes.
The judges, Phil Fanning from Paris House Restaurant and Hazel Roberts from Hazel's Homegrown, praised our flavours, commenting on The House of Luke Chocolate ice cream - “Although this ice cream is dairy-free and suitable for vegans, no one would notice the absence of cream. It is thick, flavoursome and has a great texture and would make a good accompaniment to other desserts.” The Foxdenton Rum and Raisin Ice Cream was described as leaving you wanting more - “It has a light, silky texture with an authentic rum flavour and a generous distribution of raisins.”
It has been fantastic to be acknowledged by food experts and our gelato ice cream being recognised within the growing MK foodie scene. A great result for us!
Testimonials
Erin Taft Lydon
Our first visit at Stony Stratford farmers market, the ice cream was Yummy!!
My son had fior de latte and I had a greedy double scoop of passionfruit and ruby orange with foxdentons rhubarb gin
Victoria Crawford Akehurst
At last we got to savour your beautiful rose cardamom, house of luke & salted caramel on the most scorchio of afternoons. Thank you Jolene Lynch xxx
Jolene Lynch
Best ice cream in the world and now we’ve all tried it! Happy anniversary, old gal xxxx
The Racing Bug
A MASSIVE thank you to The Willen Ice Cream Company for visiting us at the factory today! A local business making ice cream from very local milk! Despite the clouds in the sky there were plenty of smiles on faces! Delicious #puttingsmilesonfaces #supportinglocalbusinesses #newneighbours
Stevie Mac
Will there be tutti fruiti? Not that I'm obsessed or anything, just checking...
Anna Howat
Castlethorpe Little Free Library launch: We have had the best ice-cream from The Willen Ice Cream Company, we bought some to take home too! 🍦🍧🍨We have found some books, Natalia coloured lovely picture, now she is decorating it at home with loads of gems
The Parks Trust Volunteers on holiday!
Olney Market
Jillian Howe
Hello! What time are you there until? And is there any cherry left? :-)
Rita and Roger Kingston
to The Willen Ice Cream Company
Delicious ice cream and very friendly service, thank you Richard, (Chris’s mum)
Karen, My Refill Market
Had the pumpkin spiced latte one, excellent!
Luke Gordon
I love my dad Ice Scream
Bill and Carol, Wombats Woodshop
Thank you Bill and Carol for Our hand crafted reclaimed oak menu board and flavour labels.
Celebrate our wins in the Milton Keynes Food & Drink Awards 2020
It was lovely to receive recognition alongside some tough competition from fellow artisan food producers in winning best in class at the @mkfoodawards 2020 for two of our ice creams - Simply Dairy ‘Best From the Farm’, and Cherry Amaretto ’Best Especially Vegan’ - AND for Simply Dairy to have been named overall winner Best Artisan Food Product 2020 #icecreammakesyousmile
The Willen Ice Cream Company – Circus Magazine Independent Food and Drink Awards 2019
Wow! What a lovely double surprise - to be nominated for @circusmagmk Independent Food and Drink Awards 2019; And to be a finalist in the category of Favourite Sweet Artisan Business of the Year 2019. #icecream @icewillen 🍦
Damien Ryan: Well done Richard. Excellent. Hope you “scoop” the award.
My Refill Market Well done! Why it doesn’t surprise me, excellent ice-creams
Sarah Boden: Nothing but well deserved! Wonderful ice cream 🍦 👏 👏
Liz Jackson: Great achievement!
Is there an outlet near you that you would like to see our ice cream stocked in? Let us know and we’ll see what we can do!
Where to find us
MK7 Community Market, 1st Saturday of the month Hindhead Knoll, Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes, MK7 7PB
A seasonal market which runs from April to October, with a Christmas market in December
Woburn Sands Community Market, 2nd Saturday of the monthWoburn Sands Market MK17 8SD
Bedford Flea, Art and Local Produce Market, 2nd Sunday of the month.A seasonal market which runs from April to November.
Woburn Market, 3rd Sunday of the monthThe Pitchings, Woburn, MK17 9PG