Spotlight On: Ben & Jerry’s

Miyamoto

There’s a huge difference between getting “ice cream” and getting Ben & Jerry’s.

When you think of ice cream, you might think of more simple strawberry, vanilla, or chocolate flavors. When you think of Ben & Jerry’s, you think of mouth-watering flavor swirls filled with their signature chunks of deliciousness.

The thing about a pint of Ben & Jerry’s is that you have to eat it straight from the tub. I can hear it now, the sound of the lid sliding off with a soft *pop*, before digging my spoon in for a scoop of Phish Food or Cookie Dough.

If you’re sharing yours, prepare for a battle of the spoons as you both fight for the best bit — the chunks.

What began as a humble scoop shop, started by school friends Ben & Jerry in a renovated gas station back in 1978, has since grown into one of the most recognizable brands, known in households all over the world.

But Ben & Jerry’s is known for being more than just a dessert. It’s also known for being a socially-progressive, political, and environmentally conscious company.

It is owned by the Anglo-Dutch Multinational Unilever, and there seems to be at times some friction in terms of direction the brand is taking.

Over the years, it’s racked up quite a portfolio of activism, from making the world’s largest Baked Alaska dessert for a campaign against oil drilling in Alaska’s Wildlife refuge, to making strong anti-racist statements throughout the Black Lives Matter movement.

Ben & Jerry’s often name their flavors after deserving causes, like “Save Our Swirled,” which supported climate change action at the Paris Agreement talks in 2015, “Change Is Brewing,” which featured art from black-owned businesses and supports legislation for police reform in 2021, or “Chocolatey Love A-fair,” which promotes the “mission to end modern slavery in cocoa farming” in 2023.

Whether your favorite flavor has a deeper meaning, or you’re a fan of the classics, the purpose-driven brand has something for everyone.