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About
Us
Ben
& Jerry's Homemade, Inc., the Vermont-based manufacturer of ice
cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet, was founded in 1978 in a renovated
gas station in Burlington, Vermont, by childhood friends Ben Cohen and
Jerry Greenfield. Ben and Jerry's products are distributed nationwide
and in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience
stores, franchised Ben & Jerry's scoop shops, restaurants, and other
venues. Ben & Jerry's, a wholly-owned autonomous subsidiary of Unilever,
operates its business on a three-part mission statement emphasizing
product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community.
When
you step into a Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop, you're in for a
whole lot more than a treat -- you're in for the wholly extraordinary
Ben & Jerry's ice cream experience we call "joy for the belly
& soul."
 Our customers
go to Ben & Jerry's scoop shops with a powerful set of expectations
that go way beyond the great taste of our ice cream. Ben & Jerry's
franchisees deliver on those expectations and more, serving up euphoric
flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet in an atmosphere enhanced
by a genuine commitment to outstanding customer service and to community
involvement. Backed by our unique brand and shared desire to operate
in a socially responsible way, our franchisees are harnessing the power
of "doing well by doing good."
We are seeking area developers and single unit operators to be part of our growth. If
you're interested in becoming a Ben & Jerry’s franchisee,
please complete the Express Request form below.
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It’s
a fun, viable and personally rewarding business opportunity.
- The strong
reputation, mission, history, and caring culture unique to Ben &
Jerry’s
- Tremendous
brand awareness with a loyal and passionate customer base that continues
to grow.
- Over
20 years of proven franchising performance.
- Our franchisees
come first; we are available, accessible and provide all franchisees
a personal touch.
- We are
not your typical franchise company – our conservative development
strategy
enables us to find the strongest operators to open stores in "A" locations only.
- We support
you from start to finish – our training and support teams eliminate
the frustrations typically experienced in a start-up business by walking
you through site selection, store design, construction, your grand opening
and beyond.
- Four store
models that fit almost any real estate need ranging from 200 to 2000
sq. ft.
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- We
offer extensive training at Scoop U in Vermont and in your store.
- Continuous
research and development keeps new products and ideas flowing.
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Innovative marketing and promotional campaigns throughout the
year.
- Co-branding
opportunity with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.
- Industry-leading
revenues.
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What
does it take to become a Ben & Jerry’s franchisee?
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Strong business acumen and knowledge of how to develop and operate
a business.
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Restaurant management, retail management, or business ownership experience
in the last 10 years.
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A full-time commitment to building and developing the Ben & Jerry’s
franchise business.
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A minimum net worth of $300,000 (excluding residence), of which $60,000
must be liquid.
Answers
to Frequently Asked Questions:
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You
don’t make the ice cream yourself; it’s all made
in Vermont.
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The scoop shop menu includes ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet,
smoothies, shakes, cookies, and brownies.
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Average total start-up cost per shop is approximately $250,000.
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Our franchisee fee is on a sliding scale from $30,000 to $9,000
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Royalties
are 3% of gross sales; the marketing contribution is 4%.
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We do not offer financing, but we do have relationships with
national lenders who prefer to work with our franchisees.
This approval process can be expedited to about 2-3 weeks.
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Your first store could be open within six months of your initial
inquiry.
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