The ice cream company co-founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield is Ben & Jerry’s.
Cohen and Greenfield opened their first ice cream shop in Burlington, Vermont, on May 5, 1978. They had considered starting a bagel business, but ice-cream-making equipment was less expensive, so they completed a correspondence course through Penn State’s creamery instead.
The brand became known not only for chunky flavors but also for public positions on social justice, environmental protection, peace, and other political issues. Its activism grew from the founders’ values and was formalized institutionally when the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation was established in 1985.
A common mix-up is confusing the company with its foundation: Ben & Jerry’s is the ice cream brand, while the foundation supports community-oriented projects. The company was acquired by Unilever in 2000 but continued operating as an independent subsidiary, preserving its distinctive brand identity and activism.