No matter how much you scream, there will be no new Bermuda Creamery ice cream after May.

The company announced it would no longer be producing local products effective May 31, which means chocolate ripple lovers and fans of pineapple sherbert will be left high and dry.

Bermuda Creamery, part of the Gibbons Group, has been the producer of Freeza Fresh and Bermuda Creamery ice creams as well as Simmons sherberts for more than 20 years.

It has also been the distributor for a wide range of imported novelties and ice creams, including Ben & Jerry's.

But rising importation costs caused the family to rethink their business strategy.

"Powdered milk alone rose 300 percent last year," David Gibbons, director of the Bermuda Creamery, said. "Add to that the rising costs of fuel, importing and other food prices and it became very expensive.

"As part of our long term plans we have decided to concentrate on our other core businesses."

The popular local products will continue to be manufactured until May 31, 2008 and will be available at retail distributors while supplies last.

And Mr. Gibbons said he expected their could be some hoarding of their more popular flavours, though there is a possibility that they could continue under new ownership.

Bermuda Creamery hired 13 people and Mr. Gibbons said some of them have been with the business for more than a decade.

Some employees are looking into the possibility of using their knowledge to start out on their own and are considering purchasing portions of the business.

While other companies are in negotiations to take on some of the importation and distribution contracts the company has.

Mr. Gibbons would not comment on how far along negotiations were, or which, if any, local brands looked likely to survive, but said nothing had been signed yet.

"Bermuda Creamery is extremely grateful to the loyal employees who have served the company for the past several years,"he said. "The success of the Freeza Fresh, Simmons and Bermuda Creamery brands have always been dependent upon qualified Bermudians' ability to produce a first class product.

"We would also like to thank our loyal customers who have supported us more than the years ."

Anyone interested in discussing potential business opportunities should contact Roddy Ferguson at the Bermuda Creamery.