The journey that began with 2 guys and the ice cream business they built is as legendary as the ice cream is euphoric.
Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. was founded in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. Using an old-fashioned ice cream freezer, they began churning out an unrivaled variety of ice cream flavor combinations packed with fruits, nuts, candies, and cookies. Soon there were long lines of fans clamoring for a taste of the latest creations, and demand outpaced the space in the little shop’s dipcase.
One thing led to another, which led to packaged pints in grocery stores in 1980, which led to the first franchised scoop shop in 1981. And that was just the beginning.
Today, Ben & Jerry's products are distributed nationwide and in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchised Ben & Jerry's scoop shops, restaurants, and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, is also a Certified B Corp. (B Corps are companies committed to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.)
Change The World, One Scoop At A Time
Our community-conscious commitment isn't an add-on: it’s embedded in our identity as well as our Company Mission. And it has inspired over 35 years of ice cream generosity, social action and just-plain-fun interaction of all kinds.
Our franchisees build meaningful relationships within their communities, and make a difference through product donations, fundraisers, and other local scoop shop initiatives, as well as through company-sponsored events and campaigns.
From first-time tasters to passionate brand advocates
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and those who’ve never tried it.
For brand-loyal fans and first-timers alike, our scoop shops are the world’s best places to discover all the great-tasting stuff we make (and the greater-good stuff we stand for).
To find out what’s on their minds before you open your doors, follow our fans’ conversations online:
From small town scoop shop to super premium category leader
Thanks in part to legendary flavors like Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Phish Food, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Ben & Jerry’s is a leader in the U.S. market for super premium* ice cream. We take our leadership position pretty seriously, too. From new flavor development to innovative marketing campaigns, we remain focused on continuing to build and grow the Ben & Jerry’s brand.
*super premium ice cream is differentiated from premium ice cream by its higher quality ingredients, higher butterfat content, and lower “overrun” (the lower the amount of air whipped into ice cream during the freezing process, the richer & denser the ice cream) .
In addition to the above characteristics, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is most recognized among super premium brands for the size and amount of high-quality inclusions (fruits, nuts, chocolate, cookies and candies) and variegates (swirls of fudge, caramel, peanut butter, and other good stuff).
Ice Cream and a Whole Lot More
Our scoop shops offer the biggest and Ben & Jerriest selection of our ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet flavors (including special “shop-only” flavors you can’t get anywhere else), not to mention luscious sundaes, amazing shakes, cool fruit smoothies, creative ice cream cakes, and more euphoria than you can shake a scoop at.
We’re committed to making the best possible ice cream in the best possible way...
By sourcing non-GMO and Fairtrade ingredients, eggs from Certified Humane cage-free farms, and milk & cream from family farms in our “Caring Dairy” sustainable farming program.
Pints don’t talk, but scoopers do!
Our scoop shops have been designed to deliver the ultimate, immersive Ben & Jerry's experience in a way no pint purchase can. They're whimsical, welcoming places where families and friends can enjoy their favorite treats and fans can deepen their connections with our brand. Brightly colored, well lit and clean, a scoop shop is always inviting and promises that what’s inside is not only delicious, but of the highest quality.
Our customers visit scoop shops with a powerful set of expectations that go way beyond the great taste of our ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s franchisees deliver on those expectations and more, by providing a wide variety of Ben & Jerry’s euphoric products in an atmosphere enhanced by a genuine commitment to outstanding customer service and community involvement.