CAF MTL

Charles Desbaillets spent his life in product development and advertising. As he approached retirement, he started thinking about what he was going to do with his time. “I always loved ice cream,” says Charles. “I thought, 'there’s a product that’s 2,000 years old. It’s got legs' as we used to say in advertising.” However, before opening CAF MTL, he had to learn how to make ice cream. He spent nearly a week learning the craft in Toronto and leaned on local ice cream sellers for advice. By 2011, CAF MTL was ready to go.

It was Charles’ first experience in the retail world and there was much to learn. “You learn by doing and by making mistakes. You don’t worry about it," explains Charles. "You get so involved in it that you don’t have much time for pensive thinking. You just go ahead and do the best you can." And for Charles, it was the right decision. "I love the interaction. I love the product impact on the clients.”

He then added coffee to the menu and came up with warm desserts that can be paired with ice cream for those cold winter days.