Ben and Jerry’s

Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., the Vermont-based manufacturer of ice cream, frozen, non-dairy yogurt and sorbet, was founded in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. Ben and Jerry’s products are distributed nationwide and in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchised Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops, restaurants, and other venues. Ben & Jerry’s, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part mission statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community.

This mission aims to create linked prosperity for everyone that’s connected to our business: suppliers, employees, franchisees, customers.

When you step into a Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop, you’re in for a whole lot more than a treat — you’re in for the wholly extraordinary Ben & Jerry’s ice cream experience we call “joy for the belly & soul.”

Our customers go to Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops with a powerful set of expectations that go way beyond the great taste of our ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s franchisees deliver on those expectations and more, serving up euphoric flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet in an atmosphere enhanced by a genuine commitment to outstanding customer service and to community involvement. Backed by our unique brand and shared desire to operate in a socially responsible way, our franchisees are harnessing the power of “doing well by doing good.”

Why Ben & Jerry’s?

• It’s a fun, viable and personally rewarding business opportunity.
• The strong reputation, mission, history, and caring culture unique to Ben & Jerry’s
• Tremendous brand awareness with a loyal and passionate customer base that continues to grow.
• Our franchisees come first; we are available, accessible and provide all franchisees a personal touch.
• We are not your typical franchise company – our conservative development strategy enables us to find the strongest operators to open stores in “A” locations only, not on every street corner.
• We support you from start to finish – our training and support teams walk you through site selection, store design, and guide you through construction and beyond.
• Three store models that fit almost any real estate need ranging from 200 to 1200 sq. ft.
• We offer extensive training at Scoop University in Vermont and in your store.
• Continuous research and development keeps new products and ideas flowing.
• Innovative marketing and promotional campaigns throughout the year.

What does it take to become a Ben & Jerry’s franchisee?

• Strong business acumen and knowledge of how to develop and operate a business.
• 2 Years of restaurant management, retail management, or business management experience in the last 10 years.
• A full-time commitment to building and developing the Ben & Jerry’s franchise business.
• A minimum net worth of $350,000 including Real Estate equity, of which $100,000 must be liquid (excluding retirement assets and lines of credit).