How two friends turned a shared dream into one of Winnipeg’s most joyful small-batch businesses
Some businesses begin with a detailed plan. Fête Ice Cream & Coffee began with a passing comment between two friends.
Co-founders Élise Page and Teri-Lynn Friesen met while teaching at a Winnipeg dance studio. During a staff meeting, Élise mentioned that she dreamed of opening a coffee shop. Teri-Lynn revealed that she had been researching her own dream of opening an ice cream shop.
What could have remained a casual conversation became the beginning of Fête: a welcoming Winnipeg shop built around scratch-made ice cream, great coffee and the belief that everyday moments are worth celebrating.
From the dance studio to the dairy lab
Élise and Teri-Lynn did not begin with a ready-made recipe or years of experience producing ice cream. They began by learning.
The pair worked with the University of Manitoba’s Dairy Science Program to develop and refine their ice cream base. Over several months, they tested recipes, adjusted ingredients and learned how to use professional ice cream-making equipment.
Their goal was not simply to create something sweet. They wanted their ice cream to feel wholesome, familiar and genuinely delicious—something they would feel proud to serve to their own families and grandmothers.
That connection to family became an important part of Fête’s story. Both owners remembered how their grandmothers could prepare a meal and a small dessert that made people feel cared for. It was not only about what was served. It was about the love, generosity and sense of welcome surrounding it.
Fête carries that feeling forward, one batch and one scoop at a time.
Starting small and building something people loved
Before opening a permanent location, Élise and Teri-Lynn introduced their ice cream at the Wolseley and River Heights farmers’ markets during the summer of 2019.
Those early markets gave people their first taste of Fête and allowed the owners to learn which flavours connected with customers. In November 2019, they opened their shop at 300 Assiniboine Avenue in downtown Winnipeg.
Opening an ice cream shop just before a Winnipeg winter would have been challenging enough. Only a few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses across the city to change how they operated.
Fête adapted by responding to growing demand for take-home pints, adjusting its processes and continuing to find new ways to share its products. The experience became an intense period of learning, but it also demonstrated something important: Winnipeggers do not consider ice cream to be a summer-only pleasure.
Made from scratch in Winnipeg
The care behind Fête is most apparent in what goes into each flavour.
The team makes its ice cream base from scratch and prepares most of the accompanying sauces, jams, crumbles and additions in-house. Rather than relying only on standard flavours, Fête combines familiar favourites with creative ideas inspired by family recipes, customer suggestions, local ingredients and the changing seasons.
Flavours such as Salted Caramel Crunch and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble reflect the nostalgic side of the brand. Other creations are playful, unexpected or connected to a particular place, memory or celebration.
This balance of familiarity and imagination is part of what makes Fête distinctive. A flavour might remind you of a dessert from childhood while still giving you something new to discover.
Celebrating culture through flavour
Fête has also used ice cream as a way to celebrate culture and community.
Élise has spoken about feeling more connected to her Métis heritage as an adult. That connection has influenced flavours honouring her Métis ancestry, as well as collaborations with other Indigenous businesses.
One collaboration with Winnipeg’s Feast Café Bistro led to sweetgrass and Saskatoon berry ice creams. Fête has also supported organizations connected to Métis culture and community.
These flavours offer more than novelty. They create opportunities for customers to experience ingredients, stories and traditions that hold a meaningful connection to Manitoba.
Growing beyond the original scoop shop
What began as an idea between two dance teachers has continued to grow.
Fête now reaches customers through its downtown shop, catering, community events, seasonal pop-ups and a growing network of retail partners. In 2025, the business expanded its retail presence significantly, placing its packaged ice cream in grocery stores and independent retailers throughout Winnipeg.
Even as the business grows, the heart of Fête remains closely connected to its original vision: make thoughtful products, welcome people warmly and help turn ordinary moments into small celebrations.
The owners describe their shop as an extension of their homes—a comfortable place to gather, enjoy good food and spend time together.
Why Fête belongs at Made Here
Fête reflects so much of what Made Here celebrates.
It is a Winnipeg business built through friendship, creativity, persistence and care. Its products are made locally, its flavours are connected to family and community, and its story shows what can happen when a small idea is given the opportunity to grow.
Most importantly, Fête creates the kind of product people enjoy sharing. Bring a pint home for the family, add it to a summer gathering or pick up a single-serve cup during a downtown lunch break. It is a small way to support a Manitoba business while making an everyday moment feel a little more special.
Discover Fête at Made Here
Shop a changing selection of Fête’s scratch-made Winnipeg ice cream at Made Here in the Richardson Centre Concourse.
Availability and flavours may change, so each visit could bring something different to discover.
Sources and Further Reading
Fête Ice Cream & Coffee. “Our Story.”
https://www.feteicecreamcoffee.com/our-story
Manitoba Métis Federation. “Fête Ice Cream & Coffee.” October 14, 2021.
https://www.mmf.mb.ca/citizen-spotlight/fete-ice-cream-coffee
Sanderson, David. “New Queens in Town.” Winnipeg Free Press, September 4, 2022.
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/food/2022/09/04/new-queens-in-town
Piché, Gabrielle. “Boutique Shop Makes Jump to Grocery Shelf.” Winnipeg Free Press, June 26, 2025.
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2025/06/26/boutique-shop-makes-jump-to-grocery-shelf
Dong, Carrington. “Fête Ice Cream & Coffee Scoops Up Success.” The Manitoban, December 3, 2025.
https://themanitoban.com/2025/12/fete-ice-cream-coffee-scoops-up-success/51126/
