[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 51 (Monday, March 25, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S1934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING SOUTHERN CRAFT CREAMERY

 Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, as chairman of the Committee on 
Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize a small 
business that exemplifies the unique American entrepreneurial spirit. 
It is my privilege to honor a Florida small business that not only 
produces an amazing product, but also tirelessly serves their 
community. Today, I recognize Southern Craft Creamery, of Marianna, FL, 
as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
  Founded in 2012, Southern Craft Creamery is owned and operated by 
Dale and Cindy Eade, with the help of their children. After selling 
their handcrafted ice cream wholesale for 6 years, the Eade family 
opened its first brick-and-mortar location last February.
  Southern Craft Creamery is a true family-run business. While Dale and 
Cindy's daughter, Megan Austin, along with her husband Brad, currently 
manage Cindale Farms, a local dairy farm where Southern Craft Creamery 
sources its milk, Lauren and Zach O'Bryan, Dale and Cindy's daughter 
and son-in-law, initially launched the ice cream brand. Having been 
involved in the Florida dairy business since 1980, it is no surprise 
that the Eade family's ice cream is crafted to showcase the quality 
milk they produce and the delicious southern ingredients they grew up 
with.
  Today, Southern Craft Creamery sells a wide variety of signature ice 
cream flavors including tupelo honey, salty caramel, and candied bacon, 
as well as seasonal flavors such as raspberry basil, bourbon butter 
pecan, and blackberry buttermilk.
  Southern Craft Creamery has been repeatedly recognized for these 
delicious flavors, being named the overall food winner in the 2013 Made 
in the South Awards by ``Garden & Gun'' magazine and by ``Southern 
Living'' magazine in the Best Sweets category for the magazine's 2015 
food awards.
  Southern Craft Creamery creates these remarkable ice cream flavors by 
sourcing many of their ingredients from other local, family-owned small 
businesses. Working with local farmers and producers has allowed 
Southern Craft Creamery to give back to their community while also 
receiving the freshest and most flavorful ingredients available. They 
also work with regional, family-owned retailers to sell their ice cream 
throughout Florida.
  Southern Craft Creamery and the Eade family seek to give back to 
their community in any way possible. After Hurricane Michael devastated 
their community, they gathered supplies for victims, opened their doors 
to allow residents to cool off, and offered free coffee and ice cream 
to first responders. Prior to December 2018, Southern Craft donated all 
of their tips to Partners for Pets, a nonprofit animal shelter in 
Marianna. Since December 2018, however, all of their tips have been 
donated to Friends of the Florida Caverns State Park in an effort to 
assist in replanting trees and repair damages caused by Hurricane 
Michael.
  The Eade family's work to grow Southern Craft Creamery, support local 
farmers, and aid members of their community is an excellent example of 
civic dedication. Companies like Southern Craft Creamery are the 
heartbeat of local, small-town communities across Florida. I would like 
to congratulate Southern Craft Creamery on their 1-year anniversary of 
opening their storefront and for being named the Senate Small Business 
of the Week. I wish them good luck and look forward to watching their 
continued growth and success.

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