Franchise of the Day: The Franchise Says Its OK to Eat Your Feelings With just a scoop or even a pint, this ice-cream franchise is there for you.
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After a rough day, sometimes it's acceptable to simply veg out on the couch in your sweats with a container of ice cream. Companies like Ben & Jerry's understand -- and we thank them for it.
The Ben & Jerry's franchise got its start in 1978 with just a $5 course on how to make ice cream, a stint at Penn State and a $12,000 investment.
The pair opened their first parlor in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vt. To celebrate their first anniversary, the duo hosted the company's first Free Cone Day, where customers were given a free scoop of ice cream. After Ben & Jerry's began franchising in 1981, the pair continued to carry on this traditional, holding an annual Free Cone Day event at its shops around the world.
Today, the franchise is owned by Unilever and ranked as No. 299 on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list for 2016.
