Ben & Jerry’s is a global powerhouse with an estimated net worth of 607 million dollars. Yet, it all started with two best friends and a dream. The Eagle Gazette had the chance to speak with Jerry Greenfield and hear the story behind Ben & Jerry’s inspiring journey to success. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield met in their 7th-grade gym class in Long Island, New York, in 1963, and they’ve been best friends ever since. By the 1970s, life wasn’t going the way either of them had hoped. They were feeling lost, and as Jerry recalls, “It felt like we were failing in life.”
In 1978, they decided to open an ice cream parlor in a rural college town in Vermont. With just $12,000 to their names, they launched Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. Ben came up with all the unique flavors, while Jerry focused on making the ice cream. Since Ben has a poor sense of taste and smell, texture became a top priority leading to Ben & Jerry’s now-famous chunks and swirls. To keep their business afloat, they bought an ice cream truck and began traveling around Vermont, selling to restaurants. Along the way, they passed small stores and realized that if they packaged their ice cream into pints, they could sell directly to those mom-and-pop shops too. That decision launched Ben & Jerry’s into national distribution. As word spread and more stores began to carry their pints, the business started growing faster than either of them ever expected.Even after the brand exploded in popularity, Ben and Jerry stayed true to their values. In the early days, their only mission was to have fun. But over time, they realized their business could make a real difference. For the past 30 years, Ben & Jerry’s has used its platform to take a stand on social and environmental issues.
They’ve used ice cream to make an impact. One reason the company’s identity has remained so strong is because of how it all began with friendship and trust. “Most people say don’t go into business with your best friend, ” Jerry noted. “But for us, it worked. ” Ben handled the creative side, always chasing new ideas, while Jerry focused on the reliable, day-to-day operations.
Today, Ben and Jerry are no longer involved in the day-to-day operations, but their influence is still everywhere. Jerry joked, “Now we are just the pretty faces of the brand. ” He mostly eats Ben & Jerry’s because it’s free, but he also insists it’s the best ice cream on the market. His favorite flavor? Americone Dream. Their story proves that even if you start with failure, a little creativity, friendship, and determination can turn into something unimaginable and delicious.