Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was one of the environmental issues Ben and Jerry campaigned against?
What was one of the environmental issues Ben and Jerry campaigned against?
What was the approximate value of Ben and Jerry's net sales before the acquisition by Unilever?
What was the approximate value of Ben and Jerry's net sales before the acquisition by Unilever?
What was the initial location of Ben and Jerry's first business?
What was the initial location of Ben and Jerry's first business?
What was the global market's attitude towards companies that gave back to the community and cared about the environment?
What was the global market's attitude towards companies that gave back to the community and cared about the environment?
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What was the outcome of Ben and Jerry's business expansion?
What was the outcome of Ben and Jerry's business expansion?
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What was the acquisition price of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream by the Unilever Corporation?
What was the acquisition price of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream by the Unilever Corporation?
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What was unique about Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors?
What was unique about Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors?
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What percentage of their annual pre-tax revenues did Ben & Jerry's donate to community-based non-profit organizations?
What percentage of their annual pre-tax revenues did Ben & Jerry's donate to community-based non-profit organizations?
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What was the goal of Ben & Jerry's One Percent for Peace Foundation?
What was the goal of Ben & Jerry's One Percent for Peace Foundation?
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What was a notable environmental initiative of Ben & Jerry's?
What was a notable environmental initiative of Ben & Jerry's?
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Study Notes
Founding and Early Days
- Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream was founded by two ex-hippies, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who took a $5 correspondence course before opening their first ice-cream shop in an abandoned garage.
- The company was founded on the principles of promoting social causes and respecting the environment.
Business Vision and Practices
- The company's vision included exotic ice-cream flavors, community involvement, unique advertising schemes, social activism, and green business practices.
- They served high-quality, all-natural ice cream with whimsical names like "Chocolate Therapy" and "Peace of Cake."
- They entertained customers with free movies, music, and craft festivals, and developed new flavors for special purposes.
Social and Environmental Initiatives
- The company donated 7.5% of their annual pre-tax revenues to community-based non-profit organizations.
- They started the One Percent for Peace Foundation, which aimed to re-direct 1% of the national defense budget to peace-oriented programs.
- They fought against the exploitation of workers both nationally and internationally.
- They supported initiatives like sustainable agriculture, solar power, and recyclable packaging.
Environmental Commitment
- The company reduced waste in their offices, and minimized toxic emissions in their production plants.
- They launched campaigns against environmental issues, such as bovine-growth-hormone supplementation in cows and nuclear weapons.
- They promoted green community initiatives, including sustainable agriculture and solar power.
Business Success
- The company's net sales reached $2.37 billion just before the acquisition by Unilever.
- The business expanded from a refurbished gas station to a multinational corporation with global reach.
- Ben & Jerry's struck a chord with a global market that was increasingly supportive of companies that gave back to the community and cared about the environment.
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Description
Learn about the founding and mission of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, a company that prioritizes social causes and environmental respect. Discover how two friends turned their passion into a successful business.
