A Moray ice cream business has been nationally recognised for its ice cream cakes.
Located on the town’s High Street, Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour has cemented itself as a go-to destination in the region.
Sheila Gray, owner of the shop, sells home bakes, cakes, sundaes, barista coffees, sorbets and more.
She is well-known for her “unique” flavours – with some over the years including Red Bull, haggis, and cornflake milk.
However, it was her ice cream cakes which she recently won two trophies for at the National Ice Cream Competition.
She beat connoisseurs from across the UK to win the top prize for a “miniature cake”, and another for a “large artistic” cake.
Journey to opening ice cream shop
Sheila worked for Aberdeen’s Grampian Country Chickens for more than 21 years, starting out in the quality control department before progressing to group technical director.
She always wanted to have her own business and eventually viewed a small unit in Fochabers that used to be an antique shop.
“It was whilst viewing the shop I decided in my head that it could make a good ice cream shop,” she added.
“During [the] second viewing, the owner said it had been an ice cream shop previously, so I eventually managed to purchase the building in 2010 and really the rest is history!”
Sheila ‘learned everything about cakes’ from her mum
It was around 2011 when Sheila introduced ice cream cakes to her shop offering.
“My mum used to teach cake classes – normal cakes not ice cream – but I never took any interest in it,” she added.
“When I started the shop up, people kept asking if I did ice cream cakes but I’d say no.
“Then my mum came down and she guided me. It’s quite different working with icing compared to ice cream but she has encouraged me.”
When Sheila made the cakes for the competition, her 93-year-old mother overlooked the whole process and told her “what was wrong from right.”.
Sheila added: “I’ve entered the cake competition before but this is the first time I’ve won two trophies.
“I’m delighted for my mum as well since it shows her that I really did listen to what she was teaching me.”
Ice cream cakes are a hit with customers
The ice creams cakes have also encouraged customers to return to the shop year after year.
She said: “We’ve had customers who have had cakes every year for around 10 or 12 years.
“They just continue to get their birthday cakes from here.
“I like doing the cakes because I get so many requests for different things.
“We are so busy with ice cream cakes.
“People love them because there’s no wastage. They can be for someone’s dessert, and also cakes for special occasions.”
Conversation