Ben & Jerry's 171275 225292863 2008-07-12T22:46:56Z 76.212.85.240 /* Collaboration */ :''B&J redirects here. For the beverage company see [[Bartles and Jaymes]].'' {{Refimprove|date=June 2007}} {{Infobox_Company | Ice Cream company_name = Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. | company_logo = [[Image:Ben and jerry logo.gif|200px|Ben & Jerry's factory in [[Waterbury, Vermont]]]] | owner = [[Unilever|Unilever, PLC]]| company_type = | [Specialty icecream and yogurts] company_slogan = | foundation = 1978 | location = [[South Burlington, Vermont]], [[United States]] | key_people = [[Walt Freese]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benjerry.com/our_company/press_center/press/WaltFreeseAnnouncement.html |publisher=Ben & Jerry's Press Release |title=Ben & Jerry's new CEO|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> (CEO) | num_employees = | industry = [[Retail]]| products = [[Ice Cream]]| revenue = | homepage = http://www.benjerry.com/ | }} '''Ben & Jerry's''' is a brand of [[ice cream]], [[frozen yogurt]], [[sorbet]], and ice cream novelty products, manufactured by '''Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings, Inc.''', headquartered in [[South Burlington, Vermont|South Burlington]], [[Vermont]], [[United States]], with the main factory in Waterbury, Vermont and is owned by the [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] [[Unilever]]. ==History== [[Image:BenJerry-UnitedSquare.jpg|250px|thumb|Ben & Jerry's ice-cream branch at the [[United Square]] Mall, Singapore]] In 1977, lifelong, ex-[[hippie]] friends [[Ben Cohen (ice cream)|Ben Cohen]] and [[Jerry Greenfield]] completed a correspondence course on [[ice cream]] making from the [[Pennsylvania State University]]. On May 5, 1978, with a $12,000 investment the pair opened an ice cream parlor in a renovated gas station in downtown [[Burlington, Vermont]]. The parlor quickly became popular in the local community because of their innovative flavors, made from fresh Vermont milk and cream and "large portions of whatever ingredients they felt tasted good on the day of making!" {{Fact|date=April 2007}}. In 1979, they marked their anniversary by holding the first-ever free cone day, now a nationwide annual celebration. They combined ice cream making with social activism.{{Expand|date=June 2008}} In 1980 Ben and Jerry rented space in an old spool and bobbin mill on South Champlain Street in Burlington and began packing their ice cream in pints. In 1981, the first Ben & Jerry’s franchise opened on Route 7 in [[Shelburne, Vermont]]. In 1983, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream was used to build “the world’s largest ice cream sundae” in [[St. Albans, Vermont]]; the sundae weighed 27,102 pounds. In 1984, [[Häagen-Dazs]] tried to limit distribution of Ben & Jerry’s in Boston, prompting Ben & Jerry’s to file suit against the parent company, [[Pillsbury]], in its now famous “What’s the Doughboy Afraid Of?” campaign. In 1987, Häagen-Dazs again tried to enforce exclusive distribution, and Ben & Jerry’s filed its second lawsuit against the Pillsbury Company. In 1985, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation was established at the end of the year with a gift from Ben and Jerry to fund community-oriented projects; it was then provided with 7.5% of the company’s annual pre-tax profits. In 1986, Ben & Jerry’s launched its “Cowmobile,” a modified mobile home used to distribute free scoops of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in a unique, cross-country “marketing drive” -- driven and served by Ben and Jerry themselves. The “Cowmobile” burned to the ground outside of Cleveland four months later, but there were no injuries. Ben said it looked like “the world’s largest baked Alaska.”<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jerrygreenfield.com/ |title=Jerry Greenfield |date=March, 2005 |publisher=Celebrity Websites |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> In 1988, the pair won the title of "U.S Small Business Persons Of The Year," awarded to them by U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]]. In 1992, Ben & Jerry’s joined in a cooperative campaign with the national non-profit [[Children’s Defense Fund]]; the campaign goal was to bring children’s basic needs to the top of the national agenda. Over 70,000 postcards were sent to Congress concerning kids and other national issues. In April 2000, Ben & Jerry's announced its acquisition by multinational food giant [[Unilever]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benjerry.com/our_company/press_center/press/join-forces.html |publisher=Ben & Jerry's Press Release |title=Ben & Jerry's & Unilever to Join Forces|accessdate=2007-04-23}}</ref> Unilever said it hopes to carry on the tradition of engaging "in these critical, global economic and social missions." In 2001, Ben & Jerry’s U.S. completed transition to "Eco-Pint" packaging, which packaged all pint flavors in unbleached paperboard Eco-Pint containers. The use of brown-kraft unbleached paperboard was a critical first step toward a totally biodegradable pint made without added chlorine. However, due to what they described as increasing supply, quality, and cost challenges, Ben and Jerry's discontinued their use of the Eco-Pint in 2006, transitioning to a pint container made out of a bleached paperboard that they said was more readily available with superior forming characteristics. {{cite web | title = Ben and Jerry's Social and Environmental Assessment 2006 | url = http://www.benjerry.com/our_company/about_us/social_mission/social_audits/2006_sear/sear06_6.3.1.cfm}} Although the founders are still engaged with the company, they do not hold any board or management position and are not involved in day-to-day management of the company. ==Collaboration== Ben & Jerry's has collaborated with a large number of organizations, including many [[NGO]]s. Recently, the company has worked with the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|World Wildlife Fund]] and explorer Marc Cornelissen to open the [http://www.climatechangecollege.org/ Climate Change College]. Its aims are to educate normal young people on what they believe are the science, the politics and the campaign strategies behind climate change so that they can then produce a successful campaign of their own. Students become ambassadors for preventing global warming and do their own research in the [[Arctic]]. {{Fact|date=February 2007}} ==Caring Dairy Initiative== UK. Since 2003, Ben & Jerry's have been working on a sustainable Caring Dairy initiative, which helps level out needs of the farmers and their cows, as well as the planet's needs. The company has, so far, reduced energy use on their 11 farms by 2%, and converted all their farms to green energy. Also, in 2002, Ben & Jerry's in the USA committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 10% by 2007, and by investing in a variety of efficiency measures, this target was achieved with ease - the USA now produce 32% less carbon dioxide emissions (per pint of ice cream) today (in 2008) than in 2002. [http://www.caringdairy.com] In addition to helping farmers and their cows, in 2001 Ben & Jerry's began sourcing vanilla, cocoa, and coffee, for their smooth ice creams, from cooperatively run farmer associations - these community structures help promote their members' quality of life, improve worker's benefits, and sustain a commitment to their land and communities. In 2006, the world's first ever vanilla ice cream made with Fairtrade ingredients was launched by Ben & Jerry's. 2007 saw the release of Vanilla Toffee Crunch, using 100% Fairtrade certified coca, sugar, and vanilla, and in 2008, Chunky Monkey was guaranteed to be traded in accordance with international Fairtrade standards as well. ==Free Cone Day== Free Cone Day is an annual event held in late April or early May, in which Ben & Jerry's [[Ice cream parlor|scoop shops]] give out free [[ice cream]] cones. This year's event, which took place on Tuesday, [[April 29]], [[2008]], marked the company's 30th annual Free Cone Day. Over one million free cones are given away each year, prompting the company's ad slogan "Be One In A Million." [[Foundation (charity)|Charitable organizations]] are often present at the stores each year and enjoy a significant amount of [[fundraising]] success. Sometimes the event is scheduled to coincide with [[Earth Day]] and sometimes volunteers are on hand with clipboards and voter registration forms to help those who would like to register to vote. The first Free Cone Day was held on [[May 5]], [[1979]]. It was done by [[Ben Cohen (ice cream)|Ben]] and [[Jerry Greenfield|Jerry]] as a customer and staff appreciation event for the one year anniversary of their ice cream store's opening. ==Flavors== {{main|Ben & Jerry's flavors}} ==Ben & Jerry in popular media== Ben & Jerry has had a few spotlights on TV. In an 1998 episode of the ''[[Simpsons]]'', "[[Lisa Gets an "A"]]", Homer mentions [[Cherry Garcia]] by name along with other spoof flavors, including [[Milli Vanilli|Milli Vanilla]], [[Sonny Bono|Honey Bono]], [[Desmond Tutu|Desmond Tutti-Frutti]], [[Andy Warhol|Candy Warhol]], [[Xavier Cugat|Xavier Nougat]], and [[Herbert Hoover|Sherbet Hoover]]. In addition, the blackboard gag at the beginning of the episode was "I WILL NOT SCREAM / FOR ICE CREAM." There is a reference to Ben & Jerry's flavor [[Chubby Hubby (Ben & Jerry's flavor)|Chubby Hubby]] in the popular TV series "[[Queer as Folk (North American TV series)]]" in episode 6 of the first season, which aired in 2000. Ben & Jerry appeared on the ''[[Colbert Report]]'' on [[March 5]], [[2007]] to plug their new ice cream flavor "[[Stephen Colbert]]'s AmeriCone Dream" and their "grassroots education and advocacy project" [[TrueMajority]]. Ben & Jerry's was spoofed as "Jen & Berry's Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream" in the 2006 ''[[South Park]]'' episode "[[Smug Alert]]." In the TV series ''[[Twin Peaks]],'' the Horne brothers are named Ben and Jerry. In one scene of the show, Ben is seen eating ice cream and commenting on the ingredients. In the medical comedy [[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]], [[JD (Scrubs)|JD]] comments to a patient that he once got Chunky Monkey in his eye in the episode [[My Fifteen Seconds]]. Ben & Jerry have enjoyed film time, as well. In the film ''[[City Slickers]],'' characters Ira and Barry Shalowitz are two average-looking guys who are famous ice cream magnates, with the pun that they are based on Ben and Jerry. In ''[[Salaam Namaste]],'' Nick, who is played by [[Saif Ali Khan]] takes Ambar, played by [[Preity Zinta]], for Ben & Jerry's ice cream in the middle of the night. Ambar has pregnancy cravings and insists on only having Ben & Jerry's "Dark Belgian chocolate" ice cream. They proceed to drive around [[Melbourne]] looking for a Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlour that is open, and finally end up going to an expensive hotel instead. There are many Ben and Jerry's jokes and puns in the 2007 British comedy ''[[Hot Fuzz]],'' In the film ''[[Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason]],'' Bridget jokingly says she is in a relationship with two men, "the first named Ben, the other Jerry," as she eats Ben & Jerry's ice cream. A similar joke was used in the film, [[Aquamarine]]. As the title character consumes a pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Phood, she decides she doesn't need her crush, Raymond, for she has found two new men in her life: Ben and Jerry. Ben & Jerry's is also referenced in the television show, [[Family Guy]]. As the Griffin family is watching television, two women in the television program are sitting, eating ice cream. Character A states, "You are my third best friend," to Character B. Character B then asks who the first two are, to which Character A responds: "Ben and Jerry." The lead character of ''[[Miss Congeniality (film)|Miss Congeniality]]'', played by [[Sandra Bullock]], orders a full pint while having lunch at a bar, which turns out to be a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Jennifer Aniston consumes a pint of Mint Chocolate Chunk in the 2003 movie ''[[Bruce Almighty]].'' The Ben & Jerry factory has also appeared in film; it was featured in the movie ''[[Me, Myself and Irene]].'' In the cartoon series ''[[Justice League (TV series)|Justice League]]'', ''[[The Flash]]'' finds a ''Bob and Terry's'' ice cream. ==Cultural significance and reach== Ben & Jerry's was the first brand-name ice cream to be taken into space aboard the [[Space Shuttle]]. Most of the cruise ships of the [[Royal Caribbean International]] have a Ben and Jerry's scoop shop on board.<ref>http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/experiencetypes/experiencetype/experience/home.do?br=R&exCode=115 Retrieved 2008-02-05</ref> Ben and Jerry's struck a deal with [[Six Flags]] and have added Ben and Jerry's to parks such as [[Six Flags Great Adventure]], [[Six Flags Fiesta Texas]], and [[Six Flags New England]]. The pictures of the cows on Ben & Jerry's ice cream cartons were painted by [[Woody Jackson]]. <ref>http://www.woodyjackson.com/bennjerry.html Woody Jackson's story of involvement with Ben & Jerry at website of Holy Cow, Inc. Retrieved 2007-06-13</ref> <ref>http://store.benjerry.com/benjerwoodco.html Ben and Jerry's merchandise says "©Woody Jackson cow design". Retrieved 2007-06-13</ref> ==Global Locations== * [[Aruba]] * [[Belgium]] * [[Canada]] * [[China]] * [[Cyprus]] * [[Denmark]] * [[Finland]] * [[France]] * [[Germany]] * [[Hong Kong]] * [[Iceland]] * [[Ireland]] * [[Israel]] * [[Malta]] * [[Mexico]] * [[Netherlands]] * [[Portugal]] * [[Puerto Rico]] * [[Singapore]] * [[Spain]] * [[Sweden]] * [[Switzerland]] * [[Thailand]] * [[Turkey]] * [[United Kingdom]] ==See also== * [[Vermonster]] ==References== <references/> ==External links== {{commonscat|Ben & Jerry's}} * [http://www.benjerry.com/ Official website] * [http://www.climatechangecollege.org/ Climate Change College website] * [http://www.unilever.com/ Unilever website] * [http://www.lifeworksweb.org/ LifeWorks website] * [http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=12357 Ubben Lecture at DePauw University] * [http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/qa/documents/03073228.asp Boston Phoenix Interview with founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield] {{Unilever}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ben & Jerry's}} [[Category:Ben & Jerry's| ]] [[Category:Duos]] [[Category:Ice cream brands]] [[Category:Ice cream parlors]] [[Category:Companies based in Vermont]] [[Category:Companies established in 1978]] [[Category:Unilever brands]] [[Category:Vermont culture]] [[Category:Agriculture in Vermont]] [[da:Ben & Jerry's]] [[de:Ben & Jerry’s]] [[fr:Ben & Jerry's]] [[id:Ben & Jerry's]] [[he:בן אנד ג'ריז]] [[nl:Ben & Jerry's]] [[fi:Ben & Jerry's]] [[sv:Ben & Jerry's]] [[th:เบนแอนด์เจอร์รีส์]]