Ben and Jerry's

Ben and Jerry's

Ben and Jerry's ice cream and the amazing success the company has experience over the years could be loosely summed up as a story that began with two friends coming together with a vision to create a company that did not adhere to the traditional corporate rules of running a business. They both had certain ideals and a socially and economic responsible opinion on how a capitalist business should be run. There are a lot of similarities in the way this company is run and operated when compared to South West Airlines. They are of course offering two different things to there customers, South West providing a service where Ben and Jerry's are providing a product but the way that they go about there daily business in the spirit of treating people a certain way, and setting out to complete a different kind of vision then say a more traditional company would is very similar.

Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen where both born in New York in 1951. On Merrick, Long Island Jerry and Ben first met one another in junior high school. Jerry graduated from high school with a national merit scholarship and enrolled at Oberlin College in Ohio to study pre-med. While studying there Jerry got his first experience working in the ice cream industry when he hired by the his schools cafeteria as an ice cream scooper. After graduating from college Jerry applied to medical school but did not accepted. He worked as a lab technician back in New York where he moved in with Jerry in a small apartment on East 10th St. In 1976 Ben and Jerry relocated to Saratoga Springs, New York. Where they both decided to pursue their dream of starting a food business together. They decided to go with ice cream and began researching the industry. They both enrolled in a five dollar correspondence course in ice cream making at Penn State and soon after they set up their first Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor in Burlington Vermont.(1)

Like Ben and Jerry's South West to began with two friends coming together with a vision. Rollin King and herb Kellher where talking one evening complaining about the high fares for short airline commutes between Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston, and Rollin King said to Herb "let's start an airline." However it was not that easy for South West Airlines to get off the ground. They had many legal battles from the major airlines companies at the time to try and put a stop to South West before they would have a chance to start. Although not as intense as the legal woe's that South West had to endure. Ben and Jerry's names' for there ice cream are sometimes just as outrageous as what is inside the container. Parodying names of famous entertainers landed them in trouble on several occasions. However when they where sued for there flavor "doughboy" Pillsbury who owns Hageen Das, seemed to have more a personal vendetta, due to the fact that at the time the company was quickly taking a huge market share of the premium ice cream business.(5)

Ben and Jerry's like South West became known for doing fun promotions and advertising campaigns. During the summer of nineteen eighty six Ben and Jerry traveled across the country together in the Ben & Jerry's "Cowmobile," serving up free samples of their ice cream in what they termed, a "cross-country marketing drive." Unfortunately, the cowmobile caught fire and burned to the ground outside Cleveland, the exact details of the fire are not known to this day but neither Ben nor Jerry was hurt.(5)

Taking a look at Ben and Jerry's mission statement you can see similarities to South West in the goals there company sets out to accomplish. The basis of there mission statement consists of three connected parts. "Product Mission; To make, distribute & sell the finest quality all natural ice cream & euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment."(1) "Economic Mission; To operate the Company on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value for our stakeholders & expanding opportunities for development and career growth for our employees."(1) and "Social Mission; To operate the company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally & internationally."(1) Like South West Ben and Jerry's operates to make a profit, but neither company sells out there ideals just to make a fast dollar. A quote from Ben at a nineteen ninety four shareholders meeting "Nineteen ninety-four, my friends, will forever live in ignominy as the year of our first loss. As the gloom sinks in, a breeze blows through the tent, throwing open the flaps to reveal a stunning view of Vermont's green mountains, You know, people talk about how our social mission is affecting our profits negatively. But I want you to know that's a false dichotomy. Our social mission does not detract from our profits. Our social mission adds to our profits. This year is a test. But we will stay true to our roots, true to our soul, true to our dreams for the common good. I refuse to see another weapons system or space rocket launch and keep my mouth shut, How do you look a hungry child in the face, coming home to a garbage-strewn neighborhood where gunshots are