Ben Cohen: The Entrepreneur Behind Ben & Jerry’s
How a $5 ice-cream course helped two childhood friends create a famous global brand
Last Updated on July 26, 2026 by Business Blog Media Editorial Team
Introduction
Ben Cohen is an American businessman, entrepreneur and activist who co-founded Ben & Jerry’s with his childhood friend Jerry Greenfield in 1978.
The two friends began with one small ice-cream shop inside a renovated petrol station in Burlington, Vermont. Their business later became one of the world’s most recognised ice-cream brands.
Cohen also helped make Ben & Jerry’s different from an ordinary food company. The brand became known for creative flavours, large pieces of chocolate and cookies, community support and a strong social mission.
As of July 2026, Ben Cohen is not the chief executive of Ben & Jerry’s and does not manage its daily operations. He remains publicly connected with the company as its co-founder and is campaigning for the brand to become independently owned again.
Ben Cohen Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full documented name | Bennett R. Cohen |
| Professional name | Ben Cohen |
| Birth year | 1951 |
| Birthplace | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Raised in | Merrick, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, former company executive and activist |
| Best known for | Co-founding Ben & Jerry’s |
| Business partner | Jerry Greenfield |
| Company founded | Ben & Jerry’s |
| First shop opened | 1978 |
| First shop location | Burlington, Vermont |
| Former role | Chief executive of Ben & Jerry’s |
| Current status | Co-founder and public campaigner |
Who Is Ben Cohen?
Ben Cohen is the American entrepreneur who helped create Ben & Jerry’s.
He founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, a friend he had known since school. Together, they turned a small local ice-cream shop into an internationally recognised consumer brand.
Cohen later served as the company’s chief executive and helped develop its social mission. He believed that a business should make good products, earn money and support communities at the same time.
He should not be confused with the British former rugby player who is also named Ben Cohen.
Ben Cohen’s Early Life
Ben Cohen was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1951. He grew up in Merrick on Long Island.
He met Jerry Greenfield when they were school students. They became friends during a gym class and remained close after finishing school.
Cohen did not follow a traditional path into business. He explored education, pottery and other creative work before entering the food industry.
Greenfield studied science and tried to enter medical school. When his original career plan did not work, the two friends began discussing ways to start a business together.
Their different abilities helped their partnership. Cohen enjoyed creative ideas and product development, while Greenfield brought planning and scientific knowledge.
How Did Ben Cohen Start Ben & Jerry’s?
Cohen and Greenfield originally planned to open a bagel shop.
They changed their idea after discovering that bagel-making equipment was too expensive. Ice cream offered them a more affordable way to start a food business.
The friends completed a $5 correspondence course in ice-cream making from Pennsylvania State University.
They then collected $12,000 to open their first shop. This included $4,000 that they borrowed.
In May 1978, they opened Ben & Jerry’s inside a renovated petrol station in Burlington, Vermont.
The official Ben & Jerry’s company history explains how the small Burlington shop became the beginning of the global brand.
The location was useful because Burlington was a university city without an established homemade ice-cream shop at the time.
Cohen and Greenfield sold ice cream, crepes and other food. Local customers soon began supporting the new business.
How Did Ben & Jerry’s Become Successful?
Ben & Jerry’s began selling packaged pints through shops and supermarkets in 1980.
This decision was important because customers no longer needed to visit the original Burlington shop. They could buy the company’s ice cream from local food stores.
The first franchised Ben & Jerry’s shop opened in 1981. Distribution later expanded across the United States and into international markets.
Several features helped the company stand out:
- Large pieces of cookies, chocolate and fruit
- Thick sauces and flavour swirls
- Unusual product names
- Colourful packaging
- A friendly brand personality
- Community events
- Public support for social causes
Instead of copying traditional ice-cream companies, Cohen and Greenfield created a product and identity that customers could recognise easily.
Why Does Ben & Jerry’s Use Large Chunks?
Ben Cohen has very little sense of smell and taste. Texture was therefore especially important to the way he experienced food.
Small differences in flavour were difficult for him to notice, but he could feel large pieces of chocolate, cookies, fruit and nuts.
His preference for noticeable textures helped shape the chunky style that became a signature feature of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
The large pieces were not only enjoyable for customers. They also gave the company a clear product difference that competitors could not easily copy.
What Is Free Cone Day?
Cohen and Greenfield held the first Free Cone Day in 1979.
They celebrated the first anniversary of their shop by giving free ice-cream cones to customers. The event was created to thank the Burlington community for supporting their new business.
Free Cone Day later became an international Ben & Jerry’s tradition.
The event helped build a strong relationship between the company and its customers. It also showed Cohen’s belief that a business should create a community around its products rather than focus only on sales.
Ben Cohen’s Role as Chief Executive
Ben Cohen became chairperson of the Ben & Jerry’s board in February 1989.
He served as the company’s chief executive from January 1991 until January 1995.
During his leadership, Ben & Jerry’s continued expanding its distribution, products and public presence.
Cohen did not want the company to behave like a distant corporation. He supported an informal workplace culture and believed employees should have a voice in the company’s community work.
He eventually left the chief executive position but remained closely connected with the brand’s identity and values.
Ben & Jerry’s Three-Part Mission
One of Cohen’s most important business ideas was that a company should have more than one purpose.
Ben & Jerry’s developed a three-part mission based on:
- Making high-quality products
- Building a financially sustainable company
- Supporting social and environmental progress
The company did not treat charity as a small advertising activity. Social responsibility became part of its main business structure.
The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation was established in 1985 to support community organisations and social projects.
The company also committed 7.5% of its annual pretax profits to charitable work.
This approach helped make Ben & Jerry’s an early example of a values-led consumer business.
Famous Ben & Jerry’s Flavours
Ben & Jerry’s became known for memorable flavours with playful names.
Cherry Garcia was introduced in 1987 and named after Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia. It became one of the company’s most famous products.
Other popular flavours have included:
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Chunky Monkey
- Phish Food
- Half Baked
- Chocolate Fudge Brownie
- The Tonight Dough
The names helped customers remember the products. Many flavours were also connected with entertainers, customer ideas or social campaigns.
This turned each product into more than ice cream. It gave the flavour its own identity and story.
Why Was Ben & Jerry’s Sold?
Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 in a transaction valued at approximately $326 million.
The sale changed Ben & Jerry’s from an independent Vermont company into a brand controlled by a large international corporation.
The agreement created an independent Ben & Jerry’s board. Its purpose was to protect the company’s social mission, product quality and brand identity.
Cohen and Greenfield remained publicly associated with Ben & Jerry’s, but they no longer controlled its daily business operations.
The sale later created an important business question: can the founders’ original values remain protected after control moves to a much larger company?
Who Owns Ben & Jerry’s Now?
As of July 2026, Ben & Jerry’s is part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company.
The Magnum Ice Cream Company also controls major ice-cream brands such as Magnum, Cornetto and Breyers.
Ben Cohen is not the current owner or chief executive of Ben & Jerry’s.
Jochanan Senf became the global chief executive of the company in July 2025. He is responsible for its operating leadership.
Cohen remains associated with the brand as its co-founder, but he does not have daily management authority.
What Is Ben Cohen Doing Now?
Ben Cohen is campaigning for Ben & Jerry’s to become independently owned again.
He wants The Magnum Ice Cream Company to sell the brand to investors who would protect its original social mission.
Cohen believes the company’s corporate owners have limited its ability to speak about political, humanitarian and social issues.
Magnum disagrees with this position. It says Ben & Jerry’s is not for sale and remains committed to the brand’s product, business and social goals.
The disagreement is mainly about who should control the company’s public voice and social mission.
Jerry Greenfield ended his formal connection with the company in September 2025. Cohen continued campaigning for a change in ownership.
Ben Cohen’s Activism
Ben Cohen has supported social and political campaigns for many years.
His public work has included:
- Campaign-finance reform
- Voting rights
- Environmental protection
- Economic equality
- Peace campaigns
- Community organisations
- Reduced military spending
He helped establish projects including TrueMajority, Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities and Stamp Stampede.
Stamp Stampede campaigns against the influence of large political donations. It encourages people to place legally permitted political messages on United States currency.
Cohen also supported Bernie Sanders during his presidential campaigns and served as one of his national campaign co-chairs in 2020.
His personal political views should not always be treated as the official position of Ben & Jerry’s. He often speaks as an activist and private citizen rather than as a company executive.
Why Is Ben Cohen Important in Business?
Ben Cohen is important because he helped prove that a company could combine commercial success with a clear social purpose.
His business journey offers several useful lessons.
Start With Available Resources
Cohen and Greenfield did not begin with a large factory or millions of dollars.
They took an inexpensive course, borrowed part of their starting money and opened one small shop.
Create a Recognisable Product
Ben & Jerry’s did not try to look like every other ice-cream company.
Its large chunks, creative names, colourful packaging and unusual personality made the products easy to recognise.
Build a Community
Free Cone Day created a connection between the company and its customers.
People were not only buying ice cream. They were taking part in a brand tradition.
Give the Business a Clear Purpose
Ben & Jerry’s placed social and environmental goals beside its product and financial goals.
This helped the company attract customers who cared about more than flavour.
Protect Values Before Giving Up Control
The later ownership dispute shows that company values can become difficult to protect after founders sell control.
A legal agreement may help, but different owners can still disagree about how a social mission should be followed.
Other founders have also tried to combine business growth with wider ideas. A technology entrepreneur and startup supporter used investment programmes to help new founders build companies.
The work of an Indian electric-vehicle co-founder also shows how a clear product vision can help a young company compete in a difficult market.
Interesting Facts About Ben Cohen
- His documented full name is Bennett R. Cohen.
- He met Jerry Greenfield while they were school students.
- Their first business plan was to open a bagel shop.
- Expensive bagel equipment made them choose ice cream instead.
- They completed a $5 correspondence course in ice-cream making.
- Their first shop was inside a renovated petrol station.
- The first Free Cone Day was held in 1979.
- Cohen’s focus on texture influenced the company’s large chunks.
- Cohen and Greenfield received a national small-business award in 1988.
- Cohen served as chief executive from 1991 to 1995.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ben Cohen?
Ben Cohen is an American businessman, entrepreneur and activist. He is best known for co-founding Ben & Jerry’s with Jerry Greenfield.
When did Ben Cohen start Ben & Jerry’s?
Cohen and Greenfield opened their first Ben & Jerry’s shop in Burlington, Vermont, in 1978.
How much money did they use to start the company?
They started the business with $12,000, including $4,000 that they borrowed.
Why is Ben & Jerry’s ice cream chunky?
Ben Cohen has very little sense of smell and taste, so texture was important to him. His preference for noticeable textures helped inspire the company’s large chunks and thick swirls.
Was Ben Cohen the CEO of Ben & Jerry’s?
Yes. He served as chief executive from January 1991 until January 1995.
Is Ben Cohen still the CEO?
No. He is not the current chief executive and does not manage the company’s daily operations.
Does Ben Cohen still own Ben & Jerry’s?
He does not control the company. As of July 2026, Ben & Jerry’s is part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company.
What is Ben Cohen doing now?
He is campaigning for Ben & Jerry’s to be sold to investors who would protect its independent social mission.
Conclusion
Ben Cohen is the entrepreneur who co-founded Ben & Jerry’s with Jerry Greenfield and helped turn one small Vermont ice-cream shop into a global brand.
Their journey began with a $5 course, a $12,000 starting investment and a renovated petrol station.
The company grew because its founders created a recognisable product. Its large chunks, playful names, colourful packaging and community events made Ben & Jerry’s different from traditional ice-cream brands.
Cohen also helped place social responsibility at the centre of the company. He believed a business should make good products, remain financially strong and support positive change.
Although Cohen no longer manages Ben & Jerry’s, he remains connected with its story. His current campaign for independent ownership shows that protecting the company’s original mission is still important to him.
