Who Owns Ben & Jerry's?
Ben & Jerry's is owned by Unilever, a British-Dutch multinational consumer goods company. Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry's in 2000 for $326 million. The company maintains its headquarters in South Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Parent Company
Unilever plc
Acquired
2000
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
South Burlington, Vermont, USA
Who Owns Ben & Jerry's?
- Parent Company: Unilever plc
- Ownership Type: Acquired
- Acquisition Year: 2000
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: LSE: ULVR
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Ben & Jerry's | Unilever plc | Acquired |
History of Ben & Jerry's
- Founded: 1978
- Founders: Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield
- Acquired by Unilever plc: 2000
Ben & Jerry's was founded in 1978 by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who opened their first scoop shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. The brand became famous for creative flavor combinations with mix-ins like chocolate chips, cookie dough, and brownies. Equally notable for its social activism, Ben & Jerry's pioneered corporate social responsibility in the food industry, supporting causes from environmental conservation to fair trade. In 2000, Unilever acquired the company for $326 million while agreeing to maintain its independent board and social mission. This unique arrangement allows Ben & Jerry's to continue its activism while benefiting from Unilever's global resources and distribution.
About Unilever plc
What does Unilever own?
Unilever owns a portfolio of over 400 brands across four business groups: Beauty and Wellbeing (Dove, Vaseline, TRESemme, Pond's), Personal Care (Axe/Lynx, Rexona/Sure, Lux, Lifebuoy, Close Up), Home Care (Domestos, Cif, Surf, Omo, Comfort), and Nutrition (Knorr, Hellmann's, Lipton, Marmite). Following the 2025 demerger of its Ice Cream business, Unilever no longer owns Magnum, Walls, Ben & Jerry's, or Breyers. The company also owns approximately 61% of Hindustan Unilever Limited, a publicly listed subsidiary in India.
Is Unilever publicly traded?
Yes, Unilever plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under ticker ULVR and on Euronext Amsterdam under ticker UNA. American Depositary Receipts are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker UL. The company does not have a controlling shareholder, and its shares are held primarily by institutional investors. Unilever simplified its dual-listed structure in 2020, consolidating its legal headquarters in the United Kingdom.
Who founded Unilever?
Unilever was formed in 1929 through the merger of Lever Brothers, a British soap company founded by William Hesketh Lever in 1885, and Margarine Unie, a Dutch margarine producer formed through the merger of the Jurgens and Van den Bergh companies in 1927. The founders of the predecessor companies include William Lever, James Darcy Lever, Antonius Johannes Jurgens, and Samuel van den Bergh.
Where is Unilever headquartered?
Unilever is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The company's registered office and principal executive offices are located in London. Unilever simplified its dual-listed structure in 2020, consolidating its legal headquarters in the United Kingdom and ending the separate Unilever N.V. Dutch entity. The company's shares continue to trade on both the London Stock Exchange and Euronext Amsterdam.
How many brands does Unilever own?
Unilever owns a portfolio of over 400 brands across four business groups: Beauty and Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, and Nutrition. The company's largest brands by revenue include Dove, Hellmann's, Knorr, Axe/Lynx, Rexona/Sure, Lipton, Vaseline, Domestos, and Cif. Following the 2025 demerger of its Ice Cream business, Unilever's portfolio no longer includes ice cream brands such as Magnum, Walls, Ben & Jerry's, and Breyers.
Who owns Unilever?
Unilever plc is a publicly traded company with no controlling shareholder. The company's shares are held primarily by institutional investors including major asset managers and index funds. No single shareholder holds a majority stake in Unilever. Fernando Fernandez serves as CEO, having been appointed in March 2025 following the departure of Hein Schumacher. The company's board includes a majority of independent non-executive directors.
- Founded: 1929
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: LSE: ULVR
Where Is Ben & Jerry's Made / Based?
- Headquarters: South Burlington, Vermont, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Netherlands
Brands Owned by Unilever plc
- Axe - Male grooming brand owned by Unilever, known for body spray and deodorant produc...
- Best Foods - American mayonnaise and condiment brand owned by Unilever, known as Hellmann's e...
- Bovril - Heritage British beef extract brand owned by Unilever, invented in 1870 and know...
- Brooke Bond - British tea brand owned by Unilever, known for Red Label and PG Tips tea product...
- Cif - Global cleaning products brand owned by Unilever, launched in 1969 and known for...
- Clear - Global anti-dandruff shampoo and scalp care brand owned by Unilever, launched in...
- Close-Up - Global oral care brand owned by Unilever, launched in 1967 as the world's first ...
- Comfort - Global fabric softener brand owned by Unilever, launched in 1969 as the world's ...
- Degree - North American deodorant and antiperspirant brand owned by Unilever, the US bran...
- Domestos - British household cleaning brand owned by Unilever, known for its bleach-based t...
- Dove - Personal care brand owned by Unilever, known for beauty bars and skincare produc...
- Hellmann's - American mayonnaise and condiment brand owned by Unilever, known as Best Foods w...
- HelloFresh - Meal kit delivery service brand owned by Unilever, providing pre-portioned ingre...
- Knorr - German food brand owned by Unilever, specializing in soups, seasonings, and read...
- Lancôme - Luxury beauty brand owned by Unilever, known for premium skincare, makeup, and f...
- Lifebuoy - Heritage health and hygiene soap brand owned by Unilever, created in 1894 as a c...
- Lipton - Global tea brand primarily owned by Lipton Teas and Infusions (CVC Capital Partn...
- Lux - Global beauty soap and body wash brand owned by Unilever, known as the world's f...
- Magnum - Premium ice cream brand owned by Unilever, known for chocolate-coated ice cream ...
- Maizena - Global corn starch brand owned by Unilever, founded in 1856 and used as a versat...
- Marmite - British savoury yeast extract spread owned by Unilever, known for its "Love it o...
- Noxzema - American skincare brand owned by Unilever, founded in 1914 and known for its med...
- Omo - Global laundry detergent brand owned by Unilever, launched in the 1950s and Unil...
- Pepsodent - Global toothpaste brand owned by Unilever outside North America, founded in 1915...
- PG Tips - British tea brand owned by Unilever, known for its pyramid tea bags and advertis...
- Pond's - Global skincare brand owned by Unilever, founded in 1846 as a patent medicine an...
- Pot Noodle - British instant noodle brand owned by Unilever, known for its quick preparation ...
- Rexona - Global deodorant and antiperspirant brand owned by Unilever, founded in Australi...
- Seventh Generation - Plant-based cleaning, laundry, and personal care brand committed to sustainabili...
- Simple - Skincare brand owned by Unilever, known for gentle, dermatologist-tested product...
- St. Ives - American skincare brand owned by Unilever, known for its natural ingredient form...
- Sunsilk - Global hair care brand owned by Unilever, launched in 1954 in the United Kingdom...
- Surf - Global laundry detergent brand owned by Unilever, launched in 1953 and known for...
- TRESemmé - Global salon-quality hair care brand owned by Unilever, founded in 1947 and know...
- Vaseline - American petroleum jelly and skincare brand owned by Unilever, known for its hea...
- Wall's - Ice cream brand owned by Unilever, known for ice cream bars, cones, and frozen t...
Ben & Jerry's Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Innovative and creative flavor combinations that differentiate from competitors
- +Strong commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability
- +Fair trade and ethical sourcing practices
- +Maintains operational and board independence under Unilever ownership
- +Passionate consumer community and brand loyalty
Considerations
- -Premium pricing compared to mass-market ice cream brands
- -Limited product availability in some international markets
- -Occasional tension between social activism and parent company interests
- -Supply chain complexity due to ethical sourcing requirements
Frequently Asked Questions About Ben & Jerry's
Where to Buy
Disclosure: We may earn commission from purchases
Ben & Jerry's on AmazonUnilever plc Stock Information
Jobs at Unilever plc
Latest News About Ben & Jerry's
Related Articles About Ben & Jerry's
View more articles
Monthly M&A Roundup: February 2026 Brand Ownership Changes
From Keurig Dr Pepper's planned split to the Netflix-WBD saga, here is every major brand ownership change and deal in February 2026.
The Most Acquired Categories: Tech vs CPG vs Pharma
Which industries see the most brand acquisitions? We compared technology, consumer goods, and pharmaceuticals to find out where the most M&A activity happens and why.
50 Brands You Didn't Know Were Owned by the Same Company
From Dove soap and Hellmann's mayo to PlayStation and Columbia Pictures, these 50 brand pairs share a corporate parent that might surprise you.