# Ben & Jerry's: Ben Cohen And Jerry Greenfield (2017)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2020-03-23
- Length: 56m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017

## Summary

Founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield explain how they turned a $4,000 investment into the Ben & Jerry's ice cream empire, starting with a correspondence course and a quirky shop in Burlington, Vermont. They detail the strategic decision to package ice cream in pints to control portions, the 'What's the Doughboy Afraid of?' campaign against Pillsbury's distribution monopoly, and their eventual sale to Unilever while striving to maintain their social mission.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017#t=0) Introduction: Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield
- [3:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017#t=220) Early Life and the Decision to Open a Shop
- [9:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017#t=541) Location Scouting and Business Planning
- [20:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017#t=1215) Product Innovation: Chunky Ice Cream and Pints
- [33:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017#t=1999) The Pillsbury Distribution Battle
- [38:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017#t=2297) Social Mission and Selling to Unilever
- [53:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-03-23-ben-jerrys-ben-cohen-and-jerry-greenfield-2017#t=3184) Postscript: Clay McCabe of Zipper Rescue

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Pillsbury (company)
- Häagen-Dazs (product)
- Unilever (company)
- Time magazine (other)
- Zipper Rescue (company)
- Cherry Garcia (product)
- SBA (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#92 Behind the Dream [Pie] Collaboration of Ben & Jerry’s and Partake Foods with Marlo Giudice](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-05-23-92-behind-the-dream-pie-collaboration-of-ben-jerrys-and-partake-foods-with-marlo) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Hannah Pollack of Nightingale Ice Cream](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-10-founder-feature-hannah-pollack-of-nightingale-ice-cream) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Sam Lejfer of Lucky Day](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-07-25-founder-feature-sam-lejfer-of-lucky-day) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [244 - Jody Polishchuk from Sundays on how they made the first zero sugar creme cookie](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-02-16-244-jody-polishchuk-from-sundays-on-how-they-made-the-first-zero-sugar-creme-coo) (People of Packaging)
- [Founder Feature:  Elan Halpern & Kiki Couchman of Sourmilk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-07-founder-feature-elan-halpern-kiki-couchman-of-sourmilk) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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