He can eat ice cream every day

Mr Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of ice cream company Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings, admits that he can eat two pints of ice cream at a go.

"I'm hesitant to talk about this. We don't want to talk about it because it's not good for you, right? We recommend strongly that people eat ice cream in moderation," he adds hastily in an interview with Life!.

"But yes, I could eat ice cream every day."

Social responsibility is never far from his mind. He has been more active as president of non-profit charity Ben & Jerry's Foundation since selling the ice cream company to Unilever 14 years ago.

He is in Singapore for the first time for the launch of the Join Our Core competition in Asia.

The competition, organised by the ice cream company and social enterprise support group Ashoka, is a launchpad for social entrepreneurs.

The best socially conscious business model and leader from each country will win 10,000 euros (S$16,159), have its business logo linked to a Ben & Jerry's flavour next year and bag a trip to its headquarters in Vermont.

This initiative is held in conjunction with its latest range of Core ice cream flavours that include Hazed & Confused, chocolate and hazelnut ice cream with fudge chips and a hazelnut fudge core.

On having ice cream linked with the company's initiatives, Mr Greenfield says: "Having ice cream makes it easier to talk about hard issues. It brings a smile to everyone's face and opens your heart."

The brand, founded in Vermont in 1978, is no stranger to controversy. In 2000, when Mr Greenfield and co-founder Ben Cohen sold the company to conglomerate Unilever, it was slammed for selling out.

The duo have also been criticised for using their ice cream to push political messages. The ice cream flavour "Hubby Hubby" was launched in 2009 in support of gay marriage.

But Mr Greenfield is not concerned about how taking a political stand will affect the business.

"We're never going to get 100 per cent of the market share. These are not for financial self-interest nor are they just cute marketing campaigns. We connect better with customers. It is for the greater good."

He and Mr Cohen do not have specific roles in the company now. Under a "unique agreement", he adds, the brand is considered "semi-autonomous".

Unilever handles the operations and finances, and an independent board of directors helms the social mission.

Mr Greenfield says: "Over the 14 years, it hasn't always been that smooth with everybody agreeing on everything and who gets to make what decision."

But being a co-founder has its privileges. He adds: "I can pick and choose what I want to do. We're the co-founders, we're special."

Besides running the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, he takes on public speaking engagements for business groups and universities.

Mr Cohen, on the other hand, spends most of his time running Stamp Stampede, a campaign to get stamp messages on American currency to stop political bribery.

Mr Greenfield and Mr Cohen, who have been friends since they were 13, started Ben & Jerry's as a scoop shop in a gas station. Now, it has four factories and churns out 250,000 gallons of ice cream in a week.

Asia is still considered a new market for the brand - it is available only in Japan and Singapore, with outlets at VivoCity and Dempsey and more expected to open next year.

To cater to the health-conscious, Mr Greenfield says the yogurt line may be introduced in Singapore. It is already available in the US and Europe.

While here, he visited an NTUC FairPrice supermarket to suss out the local ice cream flavours.

He says: "I do eat other ice creams. So far, we bought durian, yam, coconut and Milo. I'd like to go to a local ice cream shop to try the local flavours.

"I love local products, but having said that, I'll eat my Chocolate Fudge Brownie."

Why there's no sour cream-onion flavour

Co-founder Jerry Greenfield's favourite flavour

Currently, it is Hazed & Confused from the Core range of ice cream. Coconut Almond Fudge Chip is his all-time favourite flavour, but it is now in the Flavor Graveyard (for flavours that have been phased out) because not enough people bought it.

Best-selling flavours

In the United States, Cherry Garcia is the all-time bestseller. Other top flavours are Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, which are also the two bestsellers in Singapore.

Weirdest flavours at Ben & Jerry's

One of them is Sugar Plum, a plum ice cream with caramel sauce.

The company is unlikely to launch any savoury flavours as those that have been tested - such as sour cream and onion - have not gone down well in trials.

Flavours that went to the Flavor Graveyard and got resurrected

Wavy Gravy, a caramel and cashew and Brazil nut ice cream with slivered almonds, and hazelnut fudge swirl.

However, Mr Greenfield says every flavour that has been resurrected so far eventually went back to the graveyard.

Celebrity-linked flavours

Late Night Snack (also called Couch Potato), in line with American host Jimmy Fallon's show.

It is a vanilla ice cream with a salty caramel swirl and fudge-covered potato chip clusters.

Phish Food is named after an American rock band. It is chocolate ice cream with gooey marshmallow swirls, caramel swirls and fudge fish.

This article was first published on November 25, 2014.
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