These three terms are what we think of when we hear the names Ben and Jerry in this same sentence. While this is the general profile that comes to mind when we think about Ben and Jerry's, what is this company from more of a corporate level? Well, Ben and Jerry's is a super premium ice cream company that is known, historically, for caring more about the world around them, than just making a buck. It started in 1978 in Vermont, by two friends from Long Island, New York by the names of Cohen and Greenfield. They adapted their mentality of the hippie generation to the ice cream business and took an ice cream idea that started in a renovated gas station, to one of the most well known brands in America. While growth was prosperous during the early 90's, many factors caused a slowdown into the late 90's and continue today. This case analysis will examine the state of the ice cream industry, as well as that of Ben and Jerr!.
y's Ice Cream, and finally give a recommendation for the future.
Situational Analysis.
The external environment holds some pretty grim indications for chances of increased, much less, sustained success in the ice cream industry. It seems that those baby boomers who once thrived on Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and all of its flair, are now health-conscious forty to fifty year olds, who have a hard time even thinking about partaking in any types of desserts, much less indulging in the ultra-fat, ever delicious, super premium ice cream, that Ben and Jerry's has to offer.
While the ice cream industry consists of regular, premium, and super premium products, Ben and Jerry's is particularly fixed in the super premium category. These categories may seem arbitrarily put together when you see them in the supermarket, but it is actually the butterfat content that decides what type of ice cram that one is. The super premium ice cream market also contain frozen yogurt under this label, and is a hyper competitive industry.
