Like calculus and natural selection, it has two plausible and entirely independent origin stories. Akin to the latter its constituent elements have evolved over time. On the page, the flavour profile of grape, banana, and bubble gum is less than appealing. Yet, since the middle of the last century, coming on 75 years, Moon Mist has been a vernacular ice cream favourite in our region.
And, cue the celestial metaphors; the flavour’s popularity has skyrocketed to astronomical levels of late. Introduced in markets across Canada it quickly became a best seller for producers from craft ice cream shops to multinational dairies. Unusually, it has fostered spinoffs in a truly bizarre product mix ranging from spirits to yarn, as well as the usual suspects including cupcakes and fudge.
Traditionally, the origin of Moon Mist is traced to Bruce Hart, whose family operated the Halifax Creamery on Brunswick Street. Following the Second World War, young Bruce attended a conference known as “Ice Cream U” in New England and returned home with the unusual confection combination, originally grape, banana and blueberry according to his grandson, Dalhousie classics Professor Peter O’Brien. It was marketed under the Polar Ice Cream brand.
A couple years ago, investigative reporter Amy Dawson, writing in the Toronto Star, uncovered an alternate origin story isolated in time if not space. She interviewed Chandarrao (Kelly) Kale in Halifax. After studying food science at University of Utah, and four decades at Farmers Dairy, he retired as head of research and development. He told Dawson that during his career he worked on 196 flavours, including Moon Mist. Kale averred that as a new comer to the Maritimes he couldn’t have been familiar with the peculiar local flavour combo. However, Farmer’s had previously purchased Halifax Creamery and, presumably, the original Moon Mist combo, before hiring Kale.
Perhaps Kale was involved in the modifications in the original recipe. The blueberry was changed to blue raspberry and then bubble-gum. More recently, a red peppermint ribbon has been added by a handful of craft producers. These changes occurred as Moon Mist production consolidated. Farmers and Scotsburn, both Moon Mist producers, were purchased by Agropur and the Farmer’s version was removed from the market. This so upset consumers that Dartmouth resident Paris Melanson was moved to start a petition on change.org to bring the flavour back. “I’m asking, all my moon mist lovers, friends, family, and anyone looking to make a change to sign this petition and help bring back the pride and joy of summer in the Maritimes, bring back the good moon mist.”
In Atlantic Canada, convenient, quick and easy access to Moon Mist is a given. In only the last few years Moon Mist’s appeal has gone national. In Ontario, Kawartha Dairy distributes it widely as does Foothills Creamery in Alberta. Small batch craft ice cream-makers like Chris Levesque in Ottawa and shops like The Big Scoop in Duncan, B.C., offer it. A few years ago, when Toronto was still a Moon Mist desert, the Ancaster Ice Cream Parlour, 70 kilometres west of Toronto, had a customer Ubering it to the city.
According to Dana Somerville, VP Marketing and Customer Experience at Kawartha Dairy, they “launched Moon Mist ice cream in March 2023… “and it” has turned into a top seller.” In 2023 Agropur’s Rae Ryan told CBC that Moon Mist was its penultimate seller, ceding pride of place only to vanilla. Scott Wegener, vice president brand operations, at Foothills Creamery notes, “Moon Mist has become one of our most popular flavours over the years,” since it was introduced a decade ago.
Interestingly, it is not excessive sweetness that drives Moon Mist’s appeal. Moon Mist predominantly, across brands, contains 19 grams of sugar per ¾ cup, decidedly middle of the road, more than various vanillas but far less than exotic flavours that often top 25 grams per three-quarters of a cup.
Universally, the decision to introduce Moon Mist has been initiated by consumer demand driven by ex-pats’ nostalgia. Kids seem to fall for the visuals and sustain the demand. Chris Levesque’s experience epitomizes this. He was approached by a prospective client requesting a custom batch of moon mist to satisfy his pregnant, ex-pat partner’s cravings. It has gone on to become his most popular flavour. Both he and Ryan attribute its popularity with children to the fact that “we taste ice cream with our eyes first.”
Apparently, it is not only ice cream we taste with our eyes first as the taste profile and colour palate of Moon Mist has inspired an entire range of products. Moon Mist fudge, cupcakes, cheesecake, and doughnuts are available throughout the region and recipes abound online. Fans can also wear Moon Mist inspired apparel or knit with Moon Mist yarn, and even apply Moon Mist lip balm. Moon Mist hair and nails? Salons have you covered. The adventurous can knock back a shot of Moon Mist vodka or prepare for the apocalypse with some dehydrated Moon Mist ice cream. If a Moon Mist-scented candle isn’t enough, try one with the down-home scent of lobster added.
An East Coast favourite for decades, Moon Mist is enjoying a moment.