Ben and Jerry's Most Popular Flavors
1. Cherry Garcia® Ice Cream
2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
3. Chunky Monkey® Ice Cream
4. Chocolate Fudge Brownie™ Ice Cream
5. Half Baked™ Ice Cream
6. New York Super Fudge Chunk® Ice Cream
7. Phish Food® Ice Cream
8. Coffee Heath Bar Crunch® Ice Cream
9. Peanut Butter Cup™ Ice Cream
10. Vanilla Ice Cream
History
The Ben & Jerry's in Hoboken, New Jersey.In 1977 lifelong friends Ben Cohen and
Jerry Greenfield completed a correspondence course on ice cream making from the
Pennsylvania State University. On May 5, 1978, with a $12,000 investment the
pair opened an ice cream parlor in a renovated gas station in downtown
Burlington, Vermont. In 1979, they marked their anniversary by holding the
first-ever free cone day, now a nationwide annual celebration.
In 1980, Ben and Jerry rented space in an old spool and bobbin mill on South
Champlain Street in Burlington and began packing their ice cream in pints. In
1981, the first Ben & Jerry’s franchise opened on Route 7 in Shelburne, Vermont.
In 1983, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream was used to build “the world’s largest ice
cream sundae” in St. Albans, Vermont; the sundae weighed 27,102 pounds. In 1984,
Häagen-Dazs tried to limit distribution of Ben & Jerry’s in Boston, prompting
Ben & Jerry’s to file suit against the parent company, Pillsbury, in its now
famous “What’s the Doughboy Afraid Of?” campaign. In 1987, Häagen-Dazs again
tried to enforce exclusive distribution, and Ben & Jerry’s filed its second
lawsuit against the Pillsbury Company. In 1985, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation was
established at the end of the year with a gift from Ben & Jerry's to fund
community-oriented projects; it was then provided with 7.5% of the company’s
annual pre-tax profits. In 1986, Ben & Jerry’s launched its “Cowmobile”, a
modified mobile home used to distribute free scoops of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream
in a unique, cross-country “marketing drive”—driven and served by Ben and Jerry
themselves. The “Cowmobile” burned to the ground outside of Cleveland four
months later, but there were no injuries. Ben said it looked like “the world’s
largest baked Alaska.”
In 1988, the pair won the title of U.S. Small Business Persons Of The Year,
awarded by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Also this year, the first brownies were
ordered from Greyston Bakery, which led to the development of the popular
Chocolate Fudge Brownie flavor. In 1992, Ben & Jerry’s joined in a co-operative
campaign with the national non-profit Children's Defense Fund; the campaign goal
was to bring children’s basic needs to the top of the national agenda. Over
70,000 postcards were sent to Congress concerning kids and other national
issues.
Ben & Jerry's ice-cream branch at the United Square Shopping Mall in
Singapore.In April 2000, Ben & Jerry's announced its acquisition by
multinational food giant Unilever.Unilever said it hopes to carry on the
tradition of engaging "in these critical, global economic and social missions."
Although the founders are still engaged with the company, they do not hold any
board or management position and are not involved in day-to-day management of
the company.