Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield didn't set out to change the world. They just wanted to eat. Back in the late seventies, these two childhood friends from Merrick, Long Island, were basically failing at their primary goals. Jerry couldn't get into medical school. Ben had dropped out of about half a dozen colleges. They were just two guys in their twenties looking for something to do that didn't involve a suit or a boss.
They almost picked bagels. Honestly, the world was inches away from "Ben & Jerry's Bagels," but the equipment was too expensive. So, they took a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making from Penn State. That’s it. That was the "grand master plan."
When people talk about the founder of Ben and Jerry's, they usually treat Ben and Jerry like a single, two-headed ice cream monster. But they are distinct humans with very different vibes. Ben is the creative engine, the guy with anosmia—a literal inability to smell or taste much of anything—which is why the ice cream has those massive, chunky mix-ins. If he couldn't taste the flavor, he wanted the texture. Jerry is the steady hand, the one who actually finished the Penn State course and figured out how to make the business run without collapsing under the weight of Ben’s wilder ideas.
From a Renovated Gas Station to a Global Icon
In 1978, they opened their first scoop shop in a converted gas station in Burlington, Vermont. It was cold. It was rustic. They had about $12,000, and $4,000 of that was borrowed. They weren't business moguls; they were hippies with a 1964 Volkswagen Squareback and a dream of making "the best possible ice cream in the best possible way."
The early days were chaotic. Ben would drive his old car around delivering pints to grocery stores, often while the ice cream was melting in the back. They didn't have a sophisticated supply chain. They had grit. They also had a weirdly effective marketing strategy: being nice. They held "Free Cone Days" because they were just happy to still be in business after their first year. It wasn't a calculated PR move back then; it was a genuine "thank you" to a community that kept them from going broke in a Vermont winter.
The Fight With Haagen-Dazs
Success brought enemies. Specifically, Pillsbury, which owned Haagen-Dazs at the time. When Ben & Jerry's started gaining traction in the early 80s, Pillsbury tried to muscle them out of the market by telling distributors that if they carried the Vermont brand, they’d lose their Haagen-Dazs contract.
Most founders would have hired a massive legal team and gone quiet. Not Ben. He launched the "What’s the Doughboy Afraid Of?" campaign. He put the slogan on the side of their delivery trucks. He took out classified ads. He turned a corporate legal battle into a grassroots David vs. Goliath story. It worked. People loved the underdog, and the "Doughboy" campaign became a masterclass in what we now call "purpose-driven marketing," though Ben and Jerry just thought of it as standing up to a bully.
The Dual Mission: More Than Just Sugar and Fat
The founder of Ben and Jerry's concept of "linked prosperity" is what actually makes the company matter in business history. They believed that if the company made money, the employees and the community should benefit too. This wasn't just fluff.
For a long time, they had a 5nd-to-1 salary ratio. No one, not even the CEO, could earn more than five times what the lowest-paid worker made. Eventually, they had to ditch this rule to attract a professional CEO when they went public, but the spirit remained. They started the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation in 1985, committing 7.5% of the company’s pre-tax profits to social causes.
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- Environmentalism: They were talking about the ozone layer and sustainable dairy long before it was a corporate requirement.
- Political Activism: From "Peacedream" to "Justice Remixed," they used their packaging as a billboard for social justice.
- Fair Trade: They were early adopters of sourcing ingredients like vanilla, cocoa, and coffee from farmers who were paid a living wage.
A lot of people think this was all a gimmick. It wasn't. Ben Cohen, in particular, has always been a true believer. Even after the sale to Unilever in 2000—a move that felt like a betrayal to many of their hardcore fans—the founders fought for an independent board of directors. This board still exists. It’s why the company can still take stances on controversial issues that make the parent company, Unilever, very nervous.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Unilever Sale
There's this myth that Ben and Jerry "sold out" for the cash. The truth is way more complicated and kind of tragic for anyone who believes in independent business. As a publicly traded company, they were legally bound by "fiduciary duty." When Unilever came in with a massive offer that was way above the stock price, the board essentially had to accept it or face massive lawsuits from shareholders.
Ben didn't want to sell. He tried to take the company private. He looked for other "values-aligned" buyers. But the math didn't work. The day the sale was announced, Ben released a statement that was uncharacteristically somber. He knew things would change.
However, they pulled off a miracle in the contract. They ensured Ben & Jerry's would have a separate board to oversee the "social mission" and the "brand integrity." This is why you see the brand tweeting about climate change or racial justice today while other Unilever brands like Dove or Hellmann’s stay strictly in their lanes. It’s a weird, hybrid existence. It’s a corporate compromise that somehow mostly works.
The Legacy of the "Two Guys"
Today, Jerry Greenfield is often seen as the "nicer" one, still showing up at festivals and talking about the joy of ice cream. Ben Cohen is more the "activist," frequently getting arrested at protests for causes he believes in. They are still friends. They still live in Vermont. They are still the face of the brand, even if they don't own the vats anymore.
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The founder of Ben and Jerry's legacy isn't really about Cherry Garcia or Chunky Monkey. It’s about the proof that a business can have a soul. You can care about the cows, the farmers, the employees, and the environment and still build a billion-dollar brand. You don't have to be a shark to win. You can be a hippie from Long Island who just really likes chunks in his ice cream.
Real-World Business Lessons from Ben and Jerry
If you're looking to apply their philosophy to your own life or career, don't look at the marketing. Look at the mechanics.
- Iterate on the Fly. They didn't wait for a perfect business plan. They bought a $5 book and started scooping. If a flavor didn't work, they threw it out. If a machine broke, they fixed it with duct tape. Perfection is the enemy of the "scoop."
- Turn Weaknesses into Strengths. Ben’s inability to taste became the brand’s signature texture. Instead of making "smooth" ice cream like everyone else, they leaned into the "crunch." What's your "anosmia" that you can turn into a feature?
- Community as a Moat. When Pillsbury tried to kill them, it was the fans who saved them. You can't buy that kind of loyalty with a Facebook ad. You earn it by being a decent human being for twenty years.
- Accept the Complexity. The Unilever sale shows that you can't always control the outcome, but you can negotiate the terms of your integrity. They didn't get to stay independent, but they did get to stay radical.
Ben & Jerry's remains a weird anomaly in the world of global conglomerates. It's a reminder that even when the "Doughboy" wins the legal battle, the spirit of the gas station shop can survive if you bake it into the bylaws. It's not about being perfect; it's about being loud, being honest, and making sure there are enough chocolate chunks for everyone to taste.
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Actionable Next Steps
If you want to understand the deeper mechanics of how they built the brand, read "Ben & Jerry's Double-Dip: How to Run a Values-Led Business and Make Money, Too." It was written by the founders themselves and avoids the typical corporate fluff found in most business memoirs. Additionally, if you're an entrepreneur, look into B-Corp certification. While Ben & Jerry's was a pioneer before the certification existed, they are now a certified B-Corp, which provides a legal framework for the "linked prosperity" they fought so hard to protect during their sale. Finally, visit the factory in Waterbury, Vermont, if you get the chance. It's not just a tourist trap; the "Flavor Graveyard" is a genuine lesson in the importance of failing fast and with a sense of humor.