Ben Cohen isn't your typical ice cream mogul. Honestly, if you saw him back in 1978, you probably wouldn't have pegged him for a future multimillionaire who’d change how we think about corporate responsibility. He was just a guy with a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making and a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. It’s wild. Most people think Ben & Jerry’s was some polished, calculated business plan from the jump, but it was actually born out of a failed pottery career and a desire to just do something—anything—that didn't feel like a soul-sucking corporate grind.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield started with about $12,000. Half of that was borrowed. They weren't trying to build a global empire of Phish Food and Cherry Garcia. They were just two friends who wanted to make good food and have a laugh. But Ben had a specific quirk that defined the brand: anosmia. He has almost no sense of smell, which means his sense of taste is severely limited. To compensate, he relied on "mouthfeel." He wanted big chunks. He wanted crunch. He wanted texture. That’s literally why your pint of Ben & Jerry's is stuffed with massive brownies and cookie dough slabs. It was for Ben.
Why Ben & Jerry’s Ben Still Matters in a Corporate World
The "Ben" in Ben & Jerry’s represents a specific era of American entrepreneurship that we don't see much of anymore. It's that grit mixed with a refusal to play by the rules. While Jerry was more the "peace and love" vibe, Ben Cohen was the engine of radical social activism. He didn't just want to sell ice cream; he wanted to use the ice cream as a "bread and circuses" style delivery mechanism for progressive politics.
Business as usual? Not for him.
He pioneered the idea of "linked prosperity." This wasn't some buzzword back then. It meant that if the company did well, the employees did well, and the community did well. They used to have a 5-to-1 salary ratio rule. The highest-paid employee couldn't make more than five times what the lowest-paid worker made. Eventually, they had to break that rule to hire a new CEO as they grew, which was a huge point of internal tension, but the fact they even tried it for years says everything about Ben’s mindset.
The Radical Shift to Social Mission
A lot of founders check out once they get rich. Ben Cohen did the opposite. He leaned in harder. He was the driving force behind the company becoming a B Corp—actually, they were one of the first major companies to prioritize social and environmental performance alongside profits.
Ben’s activism isn't just for show. He’s been arrested. Multiple times. Specifically, at protests against the influence of money in politics. He started "Stamp It Out," a campaign where people literally stamped messages onto paper currency to protest the Citizens United ruling. It’s that kind of hands-on, slightly chaotic energy that made the brand feel authentic to people. It wasn't a marketing department deciding to "be woke." It was Ben Cohen in his garage thinking of ways to stick it to the man while selling the best vanilla on the planet.
The Sale to Unilever: A Heartbreaking Necessity?
The year 2000 was a massive turning point. Ben and Jerry didn't actually want to sell. They were a public company by then, and fiduciary duty is a cold, hard reality of the American legal system. When Unilever came knocking with a massive offer, the board basically had to take it.
Ben has been vocal about how difficult that was. It felt like losing a child. He’s said in interviews that he spent years trying to find a way to keep it independent, but the momentum of the market was too strong. However, he managed to bake something unique into the deal: an independent Board of Directors. This board is separate from Unilever and has the primary responsibility of protecting the "Social Mission" of the brand. It’s why Ben & Jerry’s can still take controversial stances on global issues that other Unilever brands like Dove or Hellmann’s would never touch.
Ben Cohen’s Life After Ice Cream
If you think Ben Cohen just retired to a beach somewhere, you haven't been paying attention. He’s still a massive thorn in the side of the status quo. He’s heavily involved in the "People Power" movements and continues to fund grassroots organizing.
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His focus has shifted largely toward military spending and economic inequality. He’s famous for using props—like Oreo cookies—to demonstrate how much of the federal budget goes to the Pentagon compared to education or healthcare. It’s simple. It’s effective. It’s very "Ben." He understands that most people don't want a lecture; they want a story they can visualize.
The Conflict of Modern Activism
It hasn't all been smooth sailing. In recent years, Ben Cohen and the company he founded have faced intense scrutiny over their stances on international conflicts, particularly in the Middle East. Some call it brave; others call it misguided. Ben has consistently defended the right of the company to have a conscience, even when that conscience causes a PR nightmare for the parent company, Unilever.
He often talks about the "double bottom line."
One bottom line is profit.
The other is social impact.
If you aren't hitting both, Ben thinks you’re failing as a business person. It’s a high bar, and frankly, most modern CEOs aren't interested in clearing it. They’d rather just post a black square on Instagram or change their logo to a rainbow for a month and call it a day. Ben Cohen demands more.
Lessons from the Ben Cohen Playbook
You can't talk about Ben & Jerry’s Ben without looking at the actual legacy he's left for small business owners today.
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- Transparency is everything. Ben was never afraid to admit when he messed up. Whether it was a flavor that flopped or a political stance that alienated customers, he stood by it.
- The product must be excellent. You can have the best politics in the world, but if your ice cream tastes like frozen cardboard, nobody is buying it. The chunks matter. The butterfat content matters.
- Don't wait for permission. Ben didn't ask the "business community" how to run a socially responsible company. He just did it and let them catch up.
The reality is that Ben Cohen changed the DNA of American business. He proved that you could be a "radical" and a "success" at the same time. He showed that a business could be a force for good rather than just a machine for extracting wealth. Even now, in his 70s, he’s still pushing. He still shows up. He still cares.
If you’re looking to follow in his footsteps, start by figuring out what you actually give a damn about. Not what looks good on a LinkedIn post. What actually keeps you up at night? Then, find a way to make your business solve that problem. It might be through your supply chain, your hiring practices, or where you donate your profits.
Moving Forward with Purpose
- Audit your "Why": Take a hard look at your current projects. Are they serving a purpose beyond the bank account? If not, identify one small change you can make this week to align your work with your values.
- Support B Corps: If you're a consumer, look for the B Corp certification. It’s the standard Ben helped popularize, and it ensures the company is meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance.
- Read the "Double Bottom Line" Philosophy: Ben’s book, Ben & Jerry's Double Dip, is still a masterclass in how to lead with soul. It’s worth a read if you’re feeling burnt out by corporate culture.
- Engage with Local Policy: Ben started in Burlington. He didn't start in D.C. Change usually begins at the municipal level. Find a local issue and see how your resources—time, money, or platform—can help.
Ben Cohen’s story isn't finished. As long as there’s a pint of Chunky Monkey in a freezer somewhere, his influence is felt. It’s a reminder that we don't have to check our values at the door when we go to work. We can bring them with us. We can make them part of the product. And sometimes, if we're lucky, we can change the world while we're at it.