Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc.

Ben & Jerry’s Timeline

Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of super premium ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet in unique and regular flavors. The Ice Cream Company embraces a philosophy of being real and “down to earth”, being humorous and having fun, being non-traditional and alternative and, at times, being activists around progressive values. Co-founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, have been seen as role models for running a business that is both profitable and socially responsible and committed to using only natural ingredients in its products. With flavors like Cherry Garcia, Chubby Hubby, Chunky Monkey, Phish Food, and Rainforest Crunch its no wonder that they are known as the “Woodstock of ice cream”.

· In 1977, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield move to Vermont and complete a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making from Penn State University.
· In 1978 with a $12000 investment ($4000 of it borrowed), Ben and Jerry open their first Ben & Jerry’s Homemade ice cream scoop shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont.
· In 1981, Time Magazine hails Ben & Jerry’s the “best ice cream in the world”, and the first franchise opens in Shelburne, Vermont.
· In 1983, the first out-of-state franchises open and Ben & Jerry’s pints begin to be sold through independent ice cream distributors.
· In 1984 Ben & Jerry’s sets a precedent by establishing a Vermont-only public stock offering to raise money for a new manufacturing facility. Ben & Jerry’s sales exceed $4 million, a 120% increase from the previous year.
· In 1985, Ben & Jerry’s establishes the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, which receives 7.5% of the pretax profits. Sales exceed $9 million, an increase of 143% over 1984.
· In 1986, Ben & Jerry’s posts sales results of just under $20 million, experiencing once again more than a 100% increase over the previous year.
· Ben & Jerry’s introduces its Cherry Garcia ice cream flavor in 1987. Named for The Grateful Dead’s lead guitarist, Jerry Garcia, it became the first ice cream named for a rock legend. Also, Ben & Jerry’s sends its scoop mobile to Wall Street to serve free scoops of That’s Life and Economic Crunch ice cream following the October 19 stock market crash.
· 1987 sales earnings were just under $32 million, a 60% increase from the previous year.
· At the end of 1988 there are more than 80 Ben & Jerry’s ice cream scoop shops open in 18 states and annual sales exceed $47 million, up 47%.