Ice Cream Wasn't Always The Plan For Ben & Jerry's - Tasting Table

"Ben & Jerry's has got to be one of the most iconic ice cream brands out there. Sold in over 40 countries around the world, the Vermont-based company has become synonymous with comfort, indulgence, and satisfying our sweet tooth's cravings. The business was sold in a $326 million deal in 2000, which is a pretty big feat for two hippies from New York."

"But before they were millionaires, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield were just two young friends who wanted to open a store together - and ice cream wasn't actually the original plan. A fact you may not know about Ben & Jerry's is that its initial focus was nothing dessert-related at all - it was bagels."

"When they first started scheming up a way to make money, Cohen and Greenfield first thought about starting a bagel company. The plan was to deliver loaded lox bagels on Sunday mornings, alongside a copy of The New York Times. However, the idea was axed when the pair discovered how expensive the equipment would be. The equipment can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $75,000 today, which would have been a tall ask for two 27-year-olds. Instead, they enrolled in a correspondence course in ice cream-making from Penn State, which cost a meager total of $5, and the rest is history."

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield initially planned a bagel delivery business serving loaded lox bagels with The New York Times but abandoned the idea after learning equipment costs ranged from $10,000 to $75,000. They enrolled in a $5 Penn State correspondence course in ice cream making and invested startup capital in 1978, each contributing $4,000 with additional bank funding and Cohen's father's help. They renovated an old gas station in Burlington, Vermont into a premium ice cream shop, used local cream and milk, packed pints for nearby stores, delivered them in a VW wagon, and opened a franchise within two years.

Read at Tasting Table