Ice cream shop owner hit by 'unbelievable' costs

Ben Govier started selling ice cream in 2008

An ice cream parlour owner says he was struggling to make a profit due to the rising costs of ingredients, including chocolate going up by more than 240% in two years.

Ben Govier, who runs Dylan's Ice Cream in Haslemere, Surrey, says since 2023 the cost of the chocolate sprinkles he buys has also increased by 203% and the cost of cocoa powder has risen by more than 140%.

Mr Govier, who started selling ice cream in 2008, said he only had to increase his prices by 20p in his first ten years in business - but has now introduced a 50p increase.

"March and April have been really good. We have never been this busy. But we didn't make any money. It was insane," he said.

Mr Govier added: "The ice cream is more expensive to make [and] everyone obviously knows the electricity bills are mad."

He said he increased his prices after the business "absorbed as much of this as possible for as long we could".

He explained that the cost of milk powder had also gone up by 55% in two years and regular sprinkles cost 83% more.

In a post on the business' social media page, Mr Govier said: "The cost of everything we buy at the moment - packaging, energy, staffing and especially ingredients - is absolutely unbelievable."

He said if the cost of ingredients continued to rise he would have to think about staying closed during the winter.