Sweet Global Expansion: How Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Went from a Small-Town Startup to a Worldwide Brand

Ben & Jerry’s is one of the world’s most beloved ice cream brands, currently present in 42 countries. Explanation: On March 19, 2024, Unilever announced it would spin off its ice cream business. The brands slated for divestiture include Ben & Jerry’s, Wall’s (Cornetto), Magnum, Talenti, and Luxe (Wall’s global brand portfolio). This spin-off is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. I. From Friends to Business Partners — The Origins of an Ice Cream Dream In 1978, childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield launched their ice cream legend in a converted gas station in Burlington, Vermont. Their startup capital totaled just $12,000—$4,000 of which was borrowed. Though both had faced setbacks in academics and careers, they mastered ice cream-making through a $5 correspondence course offered by Pennsylvania State University. Most intriguingly, Ben suffers from anosmia—essentially no sense of smell—and thus relies entirely on texture and mouthfeel to evaluate flavor. This led them to create ice creams packed with generous chunks of nuts, chocolate, and cookie pieces—a signature trait that became central to their success. Committed to crafting ice cream that “makes taste buds happy,” they embarked on a journey defined by innovation and resilience. In 1979, they hosted the first-ever Free Cone Day to give back to their local community. This initiative not only boosted brand awareness but also cemented their reputation for valuing social engagement and consumer experience. Free Cone Day has since become an annual tradition across all Ben & Jerry’s stores worldwide—a distinctive marketing strategy that helped cultivate a large, loyal customer base. Entering the 1980s, Ben & Jerry’s reputation expanded rapidly. As their popularity grew across Vermont, the company began scaling nationally. In 1981, their first franchise opened in Shelburne, Vermont—marking the start of their transition into a chain operation. Gradually, Ben & Jerry’s evolved from a local scoop shop into a regional presence across the U.S. Northeast—and eventually a nationwide brand. II. The Peak Battle: Market Rivalry with Häagen-Dazs Ben & Jerry’s expansion wasn’t without obstacles. In the mid-1980s, they faced direct competition from ice cream giant Häagen-Dazs. In 1984, Pillsbury—the parent company of Häagen-Dazs—attempted to block Ben & Jerry’s growth by pressuring distributors. Pillsbury threatened to cut off Häagen-Dazs supply to any distributor who continued carrying Ben & Jerry’s products. Undeterred, Ben & Jerry’s responded with creative, grassroots marketing campaigns. They launched the ‘Doughboy Afraid of What?’

Profits Halved, Reputation Crumbling: Is the World’s Largest Ice Cream Giant Being Abandoned by Young Consumers?

Wall’s—the world’s largest ice cream conglomerate—has seen its profits slashed in half following its spin-off and listing. Decades of carefully cultivated premium brand equity have repeatedly faltered, and its relevance in the Chinese market continues to dwindle. I’ve traced Wall’s full trajectory—from its entry into China and rise to dominance, to its current decline—revealing fundamental shifts now reshaping the entire ice cream industry. From Butcher Shop Side Hustle to Global Ice Cream Dominance Wall’s origins date back to 1913, when a pork butcher sought to offset summer slumps in meat sales by selling ice cream. In 1922, his company was acquired by Lever Brothers—the predecessor of Unilever—and the Wall’s brand was officially born. Over subsequent decades, Unilever built a global footprint by acquiring local ice cream brands across countries. Wall’s entered the Chinese market in 1993 as a joint venture, adopting a premium positioning from day one. At the time, domestic competitors like Beijing North Ice Ocean, Guangzhou Wuyang, and Bright Dairy already dominated the affordable segment. Wall’s rapidly expanded distribution by providing retailers with branded freezers and custom sunshades—and enforcing exclusive placement policies requiring those freezers to stock only Wall’s products. In 1997, Wall’s captured the top domestic market share in China. Globally, Unilever’s ice cream division held 21% of the world market in 2024, commanding four of the top five global ice cream brands: Wall’s, Magnum, Ben & Jerry’s, and Cornetto. From 2019 to 2024, Wall’s retail sales share exceeded the combined total of the next four competitors. By absolute 2024 market share, Wall’s scale equals roughly two Nestlés, five General Millses, or ten Yili Group companies. The Spin-Off Reflects a Long-Standing ‘Hot Potato’ Within the Conglomerate Despite its massive scale, Unilever announced last year it would spin off its ice cream business for independent listing. The core reason is straightforward: ice cream is a capital-intensive, inventory-sensitive business whose sales fluctuate dramatically with weather—making consistent profitability elusive. It has never been considered a high-quality asset. In China, Wall’s awkward position had long been apparent. Its initial pricing—e.g., Cornetto at ¥5 per unit and Magnum at ¥10—felt fresh and premium thirty years ago, but today sits squarely in a consumer acceptance ‘gap.’ 37% of Chinese consumers cite ¥3–¥5 as their preferred price range for ice cream bars. Raising prices further has only accelerated customer migration to artisanal, freshly made ice cream and premium dessert cafés—segments capturing most consumers willing to pay a significant premium. Lowering prices, meanwhile, exposes Wall’s to intense competition: domestically produced budget ice creams priced at ¥2–¥3 now match Wall’s in taste and ingredient quality—offering far superior value. On distribution, domestic brands have penetrated every township-level supermarket; Wall’s presence remains largely confined to convenience stores in Tier-1 cities. Its visibility effectively vanishes beyond first- and second-tier urban centers. Domestic brands also innovate faster—rolling out themed collaborations, low-fat/low-sugar variants, and regionally inspired flavors in rapid succession. In contrast, Wall’s classic formulas have remained virtually unchanged for decades, leaving consumers thoroughly fatigued.

Ben & Jerry's Explores Deal with KKR Executive to Separate Ice Cream Brand from Owner

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Ben & Jerry's Explores Deal with KKR Executive to Separate Ice Cream Brand from Owner

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