The Fascinating History of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

Ice Cream is good
Food

Mike Pirello | As of Friday, February 23, 2024

Cones for all of us
Cones for all of us
Photo By: Mark Liles

The history of ice cream dates back to ancient times, with evidence of frozen treats being enjoyed by the Chinese as early as 200 BC. It is said that they used a mixture of rice and milk that was chilled by being packed in snow. It wasn't until much later, however, that the modern form of ice cream was created. In the 4th century BC, the ancient Greeks and Romans also enjoyed frozen desserts, with Emperor Nero reportedly sending slaves to the mountains to bring back snow and ice to be flavored with fruits and honey. In the 13th century, Marco Polo returned from his travels to China with a recipe for iced milk, which eventually evolved into sorbets and chilled desserts popular among the European nobility.

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     Wow a pebbles bowl to hold ice cream makes it fun



The first official accounts of ice cream in Europe come from the 16th century, with Catherine de' Medici of Italy introducing frozen flavored milk to France when she married the future King Henri II. In the 17th and 18th centuries, frozen desserts became more widespread in Europe, with many countries adding their own variations and refining the process. Ice cream was also introduced to America by colonists, and it quickly became popular among the elite.

 The first ice cream shop in America is believed to have been opened by Quaker colonists in 1776 in New York City, and by the 1800s, ice cream was becoming more accessible and popular among the general population. In 1843, Nancy Johnson invented the hand-cranked ice cream churn, making it easier for home cooks to create their own frozen treats. In the mid-1800s, the ice cream industry began to take off with the invention of insulated ice cream vans, allowing the dessert to be transported and sold to a wider audience. In 1904, the first ice cream cone was created at the St. Louis World's Fair. 





This new way of serving ice cream became popular, leading to a boom in the ice cream industry and the establishment of many new brands and flavors. Ice cream continued to evolve and become more varied and creative throughout the 20th century, with many new and unique flavors being created. 

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Today, ice cream is a beloved dessert enjoyed all over the world, with countless variations and innovations constantly being developed.

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Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield first met in a 7th grade gym class in New York, where they discovered a shared love for food and a strong belief in using high-quality, natural ingredients. They later reunited and decided to go into business together. In 1978, with a $5 correspondence course in ice cream-making from Penn State University and a $12,000 investment, the two childhood friends opened their first ice cream scoop shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. 

All kinds of ice cream
strawberry
chunky monkey
Marco Polo returned from his travels to China with a recipe for iced milk, which eventually evolved into sorbets and chilled desserts popular among the European nobility.


They named their shop “Ben & Jerry’s” and quickly became known for their unique flavors and creative names. Their big break came in 1980 when a food magazine featured them, sending people from all over the country to taste their ice cream. By 1984, Ben & Jerry’s was selling pints of ice cream in grocery stores and rapidly expanding its presence throughout the United States. 

In 1988, Ben & Jerry’s became the first publicly traded ice cream company in the world. Despite their growing success, Ben and Jerry remained committed to their social mission and used their company as a platform to promote progressive social causes and practices, including supporting small family farms and sourcing fair trade ingredients. 

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Ben & Jerry’s continued to expand its product line and create new flavors, often collaborating with musicians and artists to create themed flavors and supporting various social causes with their profits. 

In 2000, Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer product companies, acquired Ben & Jerry’s, but the company continued to operate with its socially responsible values and commitment to using natural ingredients. Today, Ben & Jerry’s has more than 500 scoop shops in over 35 countries and continues to be recognized as a leader in social responsibility and sustainability. Their ice cream flavors and creative marketing campaigns have become iconic, making Ben & Jerry’s a beloved household brand for over four decades.

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