The document discusses the founding and mission of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. It describes how Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield started the company in 1978 with $12,000 in investment after taking an ice cream making course. Their mission centered around producing high-quality all-natural ice cream while also focusing on economic, social, and environmental goals. However, the company struggled financially in the mid-1990s before being acquired by Unilever in 2000.

1. STRICKING THE RIGHT BALANCE
BEN & JERRY’S HOMEMADE INC
By,
JAYASEELAN.(Jeay)
6/16/2011 1st year MBA Madras University

2. INTRODUCTION
• Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are the
Co-founders of the company
• First ice cream shop opened in 1978 in a
vacant gas station in vermont
• With a $12,000 of investment($4,000 of it
borrowed)
• Commitment to run the business
consistantly with their underlying values
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3. MISSION
• Ben & jerry’s mission consists of three interrelated parts
• Product Mission
• Economic Mission
• Social Mission
• They believed that all three parts must thrive equally in
a manner that commands deep respect for individuals
in and outside of the company and supports the
communities of which they are part
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4. PRODUCT MISSION
• To make, distribute and sell the finest
quality all natural ice cream and euhoric
concoctions with a continued commitment
to incorporate wholesome, natural
ingredients an promoting business
practices that respect the Earth and the
Environment.
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5. ECONOMIC MISSION
• To operate the company on a sustainable
financial basis of profitable growth, increasing
value for our stakeholders and expanding
opportunities for development and career
growth for our employees.
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6. 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 and internationally.
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7. GOALS
• Use our company to further the cause of
peace and justice
• Harmonize our global supply chain and ensure
its alignment with our values
• Take the lead promoting global sustainable
dairy practices
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8. ACTIVITIES
• Company offers 7.2% of the pre-tax profit to
the charities
• Environment protection activities
• Supplying dairy waste to the intervolve
composite program
• Green team
• Replacing traditional industry standard
product packaging with Eco-pint container
• CERES Report
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9. TURN AROUND
• Ben & Jerry’s financial performance has had
its ups and downs
• Company’s stock grew by leaps and bounds
through the early 1990’s but the problem
began in mid of 1993
• Company lost money for the first time in 1994
• Ben Cohen stepped down from CEO
• Turn around specialist Bob Holland was
tapped as Cohen replacement
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10. PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION
• Increased competition in the ice-cream
market
• Leveling off of sales in the market
• Their own inefficiency and sloppy
• Haphazard product development strategy
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11. PERFORMANCE
Sales Vs growth
160
140
120
100
sales
80 sales (in million $)
60 % increase
40
20
0
84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94
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12. WHAT IS NEXT
• Bob Holland took important steps to move the
company forward
• They got an opportunity to sell their ice-cream
in a lucrative Japanese market
• In 1995 company stocks are rebounded and
market responded positively
• However in 1996 market floundered again
• Followed by resignation of Bob Holland
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13. WHAT WENT WRONG
• The japanes firm that would have distribute
their product had failed to develop a
reputation for promoting social causes
• “The only reason to take the opportunity was
to make money”- Bob holland
• He felt “There was more to running a business
than just making money”
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14. TAKE OVER
• After Holland replaced by perry odak, a wall
street analyst
• He quickly bought new management team to
rework the company’s production and sales
operations
• In april 2000 it acquired by UNILEVER a large
Anglo-Dutch company for $326 million
• Ben & jerry retained its harmont headquarters
inorder to maintain its social mission intact
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15. QUESTIONS
• Many of today’s companies face challenges
similar to those of Ben & jerry’s
• Corporation struggle with decions such as
these
• Should we increase, or decrease our
charitable contribution?
• How do we balance social cercerns against the
need to create shareholders value?
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16. SOLUTIONS
• They should maintain the right balance
between company profit and social
commitment
• They should not compromise the company
standared though have a firm stand on social
mission
• Need to have a good pace with product
development
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17. THANK YOU…
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18. IN THE BEGINING
• Bennet cohen and Jerry greenfield are
childhood friend from Merrick, New York
• At the age of 26 both batted around ideas on
how to earn a living
• After attending Colgate University Cohen set
out to pursue a career in ceramics, the
problem “I would take my ceramics to the fairs
and markets,set them up, sit with them all day
and I’d bring everyone of them home again”
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19. Cont.
• Greenfield a Oberlin graduate, he took the
directionaless course called “Carnival of
techniques”
• “It was a bad time for us both,I had been
rejected by 40 medical schools, we were
clearly not suceeding in our choosen
field, since we love to eat, we thought of food
” -Jerry Greenfield
• They took correspondent course at Penn State
University on how to make ice-cream, in a
short time they transform themselves as
“Ben&Jerry”
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