Ben & Jerry Ice creams : Failures in life → $500M+ Global Ice cream Empire

Read time: 5 minutes

Hello Rebels

Fun one-liner 🏖️

Why did the entrepreneur always carry a binoculars? To see future opportunities more clearly!

Onto Today’s story….

Picture this: It's 1978, and two young men are standing in a dilapidated gas station in Burlington, Vermont.

The air is thick with the smell of motor oil and... is that vanilla?

Meet Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, two self-proclaimed "fat kids" about to embark on a journey that would revolutionize the ice cream industry and redefine what it means to run a socially responsible business.

But how did these two unlikely heroes end up here, on the brink of creating what would become a global ice cream empire?

Let's rewind the clock and dive into the story of Ben and Jerry – a tale of friendship, tenacity, and the unshakeable belief that business can be a force for good in the world.

The Early Days - Two Scoops of Misfit 🍨

Ben and Jerry's paths first crossed in 1963, in a junior high school gym class.

As Jerry recalls with a chuckle, "We were the two fattest, slowest kids in the class. We were running around the track, dead last."

Little did they know that this shared struggle would be the foundation of a lifelong friendship and a multimillion-dollar business.

Growing up, Ben was the quintessential square peg in a round hole.

He bounced from college to college like a pinball, never quite finding his place.

Jerry, on the other hand, seemed to have it all figured out.

He breezed through Oberlin College, his sights set on medical school.

But life had other plans.

As young adults, both Ben and Jerry found themselves adrift in a sea of unfulfilling jobs.

Ben's resume read like a comedy sketch – McDonald's cashier, Pinkerton guard, pottery wheel deliverer, mop-boy, taxi driver.

You name it, he'd probably done it.

Jerry, meanwhile, was stuck in a lab technician job, his dreams of becoming a doctor fading like an old Polaroid.

The Eureka Moment - A Flavor of Inspiration 💡

Both Ben and Jerry were somewhat disappointed with their lives and were ashamed of what they had achieved in their life up to that point.

Jerry got rejected twice from med schools and Jerry tried several things, but nothing worked.

They both realized that they were total failures.

They felt bad about their lives and were treating themselves as complete failures.

It was during one of their regular hangouts, probably over a shared pint of ice cream (what else?), that the idea hit them like a brain freeze.

Why not open their own food business?

Jerry says, “We were pretty much failing at everything we did. We decided to do something fun together. We always liked to eat, so we decided to open a shop.”

Initially, they toyed with the idea of opening a bagel cafe.

But fate, it seems, had a sweeter plan in store.

After realizing they couldn't afford the bagel-making equipment, they pivoted.

"Ice cream it is!" they declared, high-fiving each other with the enthusiasm of two kids who just got told they could have dessert for dinner.

But there was just one tiny problem – neither of them knew the first thing about making ice cream.

Did that stop them? Not a chance.

In true Ben and Jerry fashion, they dove headfirst into the unknown, armed with nothing but a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making from Penn State University and a textbook thicker than a tub of Rocky Road ice cream.

The Scoop Shop - From Gas Station to Ice Cream Station 🍧

With $8,000 of their own money and $4,000 borrowed from friends and family, Ben and Jerry were ready to turn their dream into reality.

On May 5, 1978, in an old gas station in Burlington, Vermont, Ben and Jerry opened the doors to their very first ice cream shop.

This city gets very cold in the winter.

They chose this city, because there were no ice cream shops there and no competition for them.

But starting a business isn't all cherry Garcia and chocolate fudge brownie.

The first winter hit them hard.

Sales plummeted faster than a scoop of ice cream on a hot sidewalk.

Their initial goal was modest - they hoped to make $20,000 a year each. But reality had other plans.

Sales was dismissal.

Did they give up? Did they throw in the towel (or should we say, the ice cream scoop)? Heck no!

They got creative.

They came up with the "Penny Off Per Celsius Degree Below Zero Winter Extravaganza" – try saying that five times fast!

The colder it got, the cheaper the ice cream.

It was a hit!

People were lining up in sub-zero temperatures for a discount scoop.

Scaling Up - From Scoop Shop to Supermarket 📈

As word spread about the two crazy guys making ridiculously good ice cream in Vermont, demand started to grow.

By 1980, they started packaging their ice cream in pints, distributing them to local grocery stores and restaurants.

Enter the "Cowmobile" – a modified mobile home that Ben and Jerry used to distribute free scoops across the country.

Picture this: a black and white spotted van, complete with a giant fiberglass cow head on the front, udders underneath, and a tail in the back.

It was a sight to behold, turning heads wherever it went.

But four months into their journey, as they reached Cleveland, Ohio, disaster struck.

Their beloved van caught fire and was reduced to a charred, melted mess.

As they watched their dreams go up in smoke (quite literally), Ben turned to Jerry and quipped, "What do you call this – a Cowcremation?"

It was a moment that perfectly encapsulated their approach to business and life – when faced with disaster, find the humor in it.

Not good with money

Unfortunately, neither of the young entrepreneurs was very good with money, and they would later admit they had no idea what was going on financially. They actually closed the store one day to pay bills, putting up a sign that read: “We’re closed because we’re trying to figure out what’s going on.”

They were really good at creating an atmosphere in the shop that was welcoming and fun, but were not very good at hiring people and supervising people. And most of all, they were really bad at portion control.

They were giving away too much ice cream.

Jerry says, “When you scoop out a nice, big scoop for a customer, you get this beautiful smile and really warm response. Ben and I, we wanted to make people happy.”

Realizing that they needed an experienced businessperson to handle their accounts, Ben and Jerry hired local nightclub owner Fred “Chico” Lager. With Fred watching the books, both sales and profits rose steadily.

David vs. Goliath - The Pillsbury Showdown 🥊

Just as Ben and Jerry were hitting their stride, a giant stood in their way.

Pillsbury, the million-dollar company behind Häagen-Dazs, felt threatened by the rapid growth of this quirky Vermont ice cream company.

They began to flex their corporate muscles, giving Ben & Jerry's distributors an ultimatum: sell Häagen-Dazs or sell Ben & Jerry's, but not both.

For Ben and Jerry, this was more than just a business challenge – it was an affront to their values.

They saw it as a classic case of corporate bullying, a big company trying to crush a smaller competitor simply because it could.

But that wasn't Ben and Jerry's style.

Instead, they chose to fight back in a way that was uniquely their own – with humor, creativity, and a hefty scoop of public support.

They launched the "What's the Doughboy Afraid Of?" campaign, taking direct aim at Pillsbury's beloved mascot.

Picture this: Jerry, standing alone outside Pillsbury's world headquarters in Minneapolis, with a hand-lettered sign asking, "What's the Doughboy Afraid Of?"

They placed ads on buses in Boston.

One of their most effective tactics was setting up a 1-800 number on every pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Customers could call to learn more about the campaign and even offer to join "Doughboy Busters" gangs.

The phone lines were flooded, especially between midnight and 3 a.m. – prime ice cream eating hours, apparently!

The campaign struck a chord with the public.

Here was this giant corporation, represented by the cute, cuddly Doughboy, trying to squash two small-time ice cream makers who were just trying to share their delicious product with the world.

The David vs. Goliath narrative practically wrote itself.

Eventually, faced with mounting negative publicity and public backlash, Pillsbury was forced to back down.

They lifted the distribution restrictions, allowing Ben & Jerry's to be sold alongside Häagen-Dazs.

Caring Capitalism - Mixing Business with Social Responsibility 🌍

As their business grew from a single ice cream shop to making lots of money, Ben and Jerry found themselves at a crossroads.

They realized they had become exactly what they never wanted to be – corporate suits focused solely on the bottom line.

The very thing that had started as a fun adventure was now feeling like a burden.

This crisis of conscience wasn't just about their personal discomfort with their new roles.

It was about the fundamental question of what a business should be and do in society.

They found themselves asking: Is it possible to run a successful business without compromising your values?

Can a company prioritize social good alongside profits?

It was during this time of soul-searching that Ben had a chance encounter with an older restaurateur named Maurice.

When Ben shared his doubts and frustrations, Maurice asked a simple but profound question: "Why can't you do it differently?"

This question was like a bolt of lightning.

It made Ben and Jerry realize that they had the power to redefine what a successful business could be.

They didn't have to follow the traditional corporate playbook.

They could write their own rules.

This realization marked a turning point for Ben & Jerry's.

Instead of selling the company, they decided to transform it.

They embarked on what Ben called "Caring Capitalism" – the radical idea that a company could make a profit while also making the world a better place.

They started daycare for their employees, provided college tuition aid, and implemented profit-sharing.

They partnered with Greyston Bakery, a supplier that provided employment opportunities for people who faced barriers to employment.

They even paid a dairy premium to family farmers in Vermont, demonstrating that social responsibility and profitability could indeed go hand in hand.

What's in a Name? The Art of Ice Cream Christening 🏷️

As Ben & Jerry's grew, so did their flavor lineup.

The process of naming their ice cream flavors became an art form in itself, reflecting the company's playful spirit and social consciousness.

From "Chunky Monkey" to "Cherry Garcia," each name was carefully chosen to not just describe the flavor, but to tell a story or make a statement.

"Wavy Gravy" honored a famous peace activist, while "Rain Forest Crunch" raised awareness about rainforest conservation.

As Ben & Jerry's became more involved in social and political issues, their ice cream names began to reflect this commitment.

"Justice ReMix'd" was created to bring attention to criminal justice reform, while "Empower Mint" was created to bring attention to voting rights and democracy.

Spreading Joy and Ice Cream 😊

Ben & Jerry's isn't just about making ice cream; it's about spreading joy.

This philosophy is perfectly encapsulated in their annual "Free Cone Day."

Started in 1979 to celebrate their survival for one year in business, Free Cone Day has become a beloved tradition.

Every year, Ben & Jerry's scoop shops around the world give out free ice cream all day long.

It's more than just a marketing gimmick; it's a way for the company to say "thank you" to its customers and spread a little happiness.

As Jerry puts it, "Business has a responsibility to give back to the community from which it draws its support."

The Cherry on Top 🍒

From that first $8,000 investment and a dream of making $20,000 a year each, Ben and Jerry built an ice cream empire that not only satisfies sweet tooths around the world but also sets a standard for businesses which wants to make a change in people’s lives too.

But perhaps their greatest legacy isn't measured in dollars or pints sold.

It's in the way they've changed the conversation about what a business can and should be.

They've shown that it's possible to be wildly successful, make lots of money, while also changing the world for good.

As Jerry puts it, "We measured our success not just by how much money we made, but by how much we contributed to the community. It was a two-part bottom line."

Ben & Jerry grew and expanded their bright and multicolor painted stores to Russia, England, Singapore, and many other countries throughout the world.

Jerry says “If you’re doing something you are passionate about and really believe in, then that will carry you through.”

Today, Ben & Jerry's is a global brand with annual revenues exceeding $500 million.

Ben & Jerry became millionaires.

Lessons from the Ice Cream Moguls 📚

So, what can aspiring entrepreneurs learn from the Ben & Jerry's story? Let's scoop up some key takeaways:

1. Find your unique flavor: Ben and Jerry turned their love for food and community into a thriving business. What passions or skills can you combine and transform into your own venture? When was the last time you got so excited about an idea that you wanted to high-five a stranger?

2. Don't let obstacles freeze you: When faced with challenges, from financial struggles to corporate bullies, Ben and Jerry got creative. How can you turn your limitations into opportunities? If your metaphorical Cowmobile caught fire tomorrow, what wild idea would you come up with to turn that disaster into a marketing coup?

3. Churn up some buzz: From the Cowmobile to the "What's the Doughboy Afraid Of?" campaign, Ben and Jerry were masters of guerrilla marketing. How can you create buzz around your business without breaking the bank? If you had to promote your business using only farm animals and puns, what would your campaign look like?

The Final Scoop 🥄

So, my entrepreneur friend, here's the scoop: your business journey might not be smooth.

There will be rocky roads and chunky challenges.

But remember, even the most delicious ice cream starts as a simple mix of ingredients.

It's what you do with those ingredients that matters.

Just keep ploughing ahead with enthusiasm.

Embrace your inner Ben and Jerry.

Be bold, be creative, Bring happiness to people.

And most importantly, don't forget to enjoy the journey.

After all, as Jerry wisely said, "If it's not fun, why do it?"

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield's story serves as an inspiration to side-hustlers and dreamers everywhere.

So go ahead, take that leap.

Start that business.

Chase that dream.

The world is waiting to taste what you have to offer!

Keep Rocking! 🍩

Yours “Anti-Stress” Vijay Peduru