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Humble Beginnings
Ben and Jerry open their first ice cream scoop shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. With a $12,000 investment. -
Next Step
Ben and Jerry celebrate the shop's one-year anniversary and the customers who made it possible by holding the first ever Free Cone Day: free scoops for all, all day long.
The annual ice cream give-away continues today in scoop shops around the world. -
Supply & Demand
Ben & Jerry had begun selling their ice cream to a number of restaurants in the Burlington area. Ben delivered the products to customers in an old Volkswagen squareback station wagon.
They rent space in an old spool and bobbin mill on South Champlain Street in Burlington and begin packing their ice cream in pints. To distribute to grocery and Mom & Pop stores. -
Pack it Up
Ben & Jerry's expanded its pint-packing operations. Shortly thereafter, the company opened its second retail outlet, a franchise on Route 7 in Shelburne, Vermont. then, Time magazine hailed its products as "the best ice cream in the world".
Ben & Jerry's began to expand its distribution beyond the state of Vermont, the company began to sell its pints in the Boston area, distributing their goods to stores through independent channels. -
Sundae
The company was used to build "the world's largest ice cream sundae" in St. Albans, Vermont; the company developed a need for tighter financial controls on its operations, and the company's founders brought in a local nightclub owner with business experience to be chief operating officer. As sales grew sharply, they slowly came to realize that their small-scale endeavor had exceeded their expectations. they realized that they were businessmen, their first reaction was to sell. -
Fundation
Pillsbury, Haägen-Dazs's corporate parent, threatened to withhold its products from distributors who also sold Ben & Jerry's ice cream. they retaliated by filing suit against Pillsbury, and also by launching a publicity campaign with the slogan "What's the Doughboy Afraid Of?". By the end of year, sales of products had exceeded $4 million.The Ben & Jerry's Foundation is established with a gift from 7.5% of the company's annual pre-tax profits to fund community-oriented projects. -
Cowmobile
The company launched its "Cowmobile," a converted mobile home that they set out to drive across the country, distributing free scoops of ice cream as they went. Four months into the trip, the Cowmobile burned to the ground outside Cleveland without causing any injuries, bringing the planned expedition to a premature end. These efforts had pushed company sales to $20 million by the end of the year. -
INTERNATIONAL
Ben & Jerry's opened its first outlets outside the United States when ice cream shops began operating in Montreal, Quebec, and in St. Maarten in the Caribbean. By the end of the year, more than 80 "scoop shops" were flying the Ben & Jerry's banner across 18 different states. At this time, the company decided to hold back on further franchising to make sure that product quality and service in its existing stores met its standards. -
Growth Hormone
Ben & Jerry's comes out against Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, based on concern about its adverse on public confidence in the wholesomeness of dairy products. The company joined the trend toward producing low-fat ice cream and yogurt. Ben & Jerry's Light, had reduced levels of fat and cholesterol compared to the regular, the company's chief financial officer admitted to the Wall Street Journal. Sales of the products never exceeded about $9 million. -
Mistake
The line was declared a mistake and phased out. -
Take a Stand for Children
Ben & Jerry's frozen yogurt proved far more successful, was selling in 13 cities around the United State. Within five months, yogurt sales were accounting for 15 to 18 percent of the company's revenues, and by the end of the year, it had become the leader in the superpremium yogurt market.
Ben & Jerry's joins in a cooperative campaign with the national non profit, Children's Defense Fund; the campaign goal is to bring children's basic needs to the top of the national agenda. -
Web page
Hundreds of thousands of cyber-surfers visit the Ben & Jerry's World Wide Web site for virtual licks & voluminous laughs. -
New CEO
Unfortunately, sales of superpremium ice cream slipped in the mid-1990s, Ben & Jerry's posted its first quarterly loss ever at the end of 1994, it slowest season.
Ben Cohen announced his retirement as CEO. The new CEO, Robert Holland, Jr., was actually chosen by a professional search firm, but after a year and a half on the job, Holland decided that he was not the right person. Then, Perry Odak with marketing experience was tapped to replace Holland. -
Tour bus retrofitted for fun
In the U.K., Ben & Jerry’s launches the Flying Friesian, a raucous tour bus retrofitted for fun, with a focus on fundraising for U.K. kids-in-need network, Childline -
Acquisition by Unilever
Unilever announced it was buying Ben & Jerry's for $326 million in cash. Ben & Jerry’s becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever. Through a unique acquisition agreement, an independent Board of Directors is created to provide leadership focused on preserving and expanding Ben & Jerry's social mission, brand integrity, and product quality. -
new packaging
Ben & Jerry's U.S. completed transition to "Eco-Pint" packaging, which packaged all pint flavors in environmentally friendly unbleached paperboard Eco-Pint containers, a decision it later reversed. The use of brown-kraft unbleached paperboard had been a critical first step toward a totally biodegradable pint made without added chlorine, it Eco-Pint demonstrated a continued commitment to environmental consciousness. -
Greek yogurt
Ben & Jerry’s gets creative with real Greek yogurt, introducing an epic selection of Greek Frozen Yogurt flavors that are uniquely creamy, boldly loaded with chunks and swirls. -
Fans Make Non-Dairy Demands
Our fans have spoken and want a Non-Dairy option, they even went as far as starting a Change.org petition -
100% Certified Vegan
Theirr Non-Dairy flavor creations are made with almond milk, 100% Certified Vegan, and boldly loaded with chunks and swirls. You’ll get Ben & Jerry’s euphoria in every bite. These flavors deliver everything. The first Non-Dairy flavors in their line up were: Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chunky Monkey, Coffee Caramel Fudge and P.B. & Cookies. -
Moo-phoria offers fan ice cream without compromise with a fraction of the fat and calories.
Moo-phoria pints are full of all the wonderful chunks and swirls that fans adore.What’s missing? Sixty to seventy percent fat and at least 35% of the calories found in traditional ice cream. Each 1⁄2 cup serving of Moo-phoria has 140-160 calories. And like all Ben & Jerry’s flavors, Moo-phoria doesn’t have artificial sugar substitutes or sugar alcohols.
