Ben & Jerry’s

Success Story

Spreading Joy, One Scoop Shop at a Time

Ben & Jerry’s has built its reputation on more than great ice cream. What began as a single scoop shop in Burlington, Vermont has grown into a brand worth more than US$1 billion, supported by a packaged goods business available across major retailers and a loyal customer following across the world.

In Australia and New Zealand, that brand strength has created a distinctive franchise opportunity. Scoop shops are not Ben & Jerry’s primary business. They complement the packaged goods side of the brand by creating local experiences where customers can connect with Ben & Jerry’s in person, discover Scoop Shop-only flavours and experience the values behind the brand.

That gives Ben & Jerry’s a different kind of franchise model. Because the scoop network is designed to support the wider brand, the business can place greater focus on franchisee success, customer experience and long-term brand connection. It also means Ben & Jerry’s can offer something few franchise systems can: no royalties or levies for franchisees.

The opportunity is bigger than ice cream alone. Ben & Jerry’s was founded as an activist business, with a mission to make the world better and safer one scoop at a time. Franchisees become part of that mission through quarterly social mission events, national fundraising activities and brand campaigns focused on social and environmental justice.

For the right operator, Ben & Jerry’s offers the chance to join a globally recognised brand with a clear purpose, a proven model and a strong customer following. That opportunity is already being proven in new markets, including South Australia.

Proving the Model in Adelaide

One of the strongest examples is Jai Singh, Ben & Jerry’s Adelaide franchisee.

Jai’s path to Ben & Jerry’s is far from ordinary. He arrived in Australia from India with around $1,000 to his name, studied nursing in Sydney and spent roughly three and a half years working in palliative and aged care in Adelaide.

It was meaningful work, but demanding. One night, it prompted a bigger question.

“I was on a night shift and I asked myself, 'Jai, do you want to do this your whole life?' I loved what I did, but I could feel myself getting burnt out. I thought it was time for the next phase of my life.”

— Jai Singh, Ben & Jerry’s Adelaide Franchisee

That next phase brought him back to a childhood love of ice cream. He remembered trips to the ice cream parlour with his parents, wanted to spread joy and had fallen in love with Adelaide’s warm, community feel. Ben & Jerry’s, with its strong values and social mission, became a natural fit.

On 5 May 2026, on Ben & Jerry’s global Free Cone Day, Jai opened the first Ben & Jerry’s franchise Scoop Shop in South Australia on Hindley Street in Adelaide. In doing so, he became one of the youngest Ben & Jerry’s franchisees in the world.

"I've put every single penny into this. I'm all in, but I believe in the brand and I love what they do."

"Jai has done a fantastic job in Adelaide. He applied himself all in to his training, then hired and trained a great team for his store. He is the role model of what a franchisee should look like for Ben & Jerry's. It highlights the strength of the brand that when we open in any location, customers flock to check us out, because they know they can get flavours not available in the likes of Woolworths or Coles."

— Jai Singh, Ben & Jerry’s Adelaide Franchisee

The store traded strongly from day one, with minimal marketing behind it. Locals turned out to experience the brand, discover Scoop Shop-only flavours and see what Ben & Jerry’s could bring to the city.

For Bruce Lambert, Head of Retail at Ben & Jerry’s ANZ, Jai’s success reflects both the strength of the brand and the importance of finding the right operators.

— Bruce Lambert, Head of Retail, Ben & Jerry’s ANZ

Jai’s Adelaide store shows what can happen when the right operator, the right market and the right brand come together. It also demonstrates the potential for Ben & Jerry’s in cities where demand is strong, but the brand has not yet opened a Scoop Shop.

Partnering With DC Strategy for Franchise Growth

DC Strategy has supported Ben & Jerry’s since the brand first entered the Australian and New Zealand market. From helping develop the initial franchising program for ANZ to supporting recruitment, marketing and lead generation, the partnership has helped Ben & Jerry’s build a local network with the right people behind the brand.

For Ben & Jerry’s, choosing franchisees is one of the most important decisions the business makes. Franchisees are not just store operators. They become ambassadors for the brand, the customer experience and the social mission behind every scoop.

As Bruce Lambert explains, Ben & Jerry’s “wouldn’t trust such an important decision with anyone we didn’t feel truly understood our brand and the franchise landscape in ANZ.”

DC Strategy has supported the brand through:

  • Franchise program development: Helping shape Ben & Jerry’s initial franchising program for the ANZ market.

  • Franchise recruitment: Supporting the search for operators who align with the brand, its values and its long-term growth plans.

  • Marketing and lead generation: Helping attract and nurture the right franchise candidates.

  • Strategic guidance: Providing trusted industry insight as the network continues to grow across Australia and New Zealand.

DC Strategy have been fantastic partners for our brand since day one. We trust them with the most important decision we ever make, which is who we choose to bring into our brand as scoop shop operators. We truly value their advice, leadership and strategic support to help grow our brand within ANZ.

— Bruce Lambert, Head of Retail, Ben & Jerry’s ANZ

Celebrating Key Milestones

Ben & Jerry’s has built strong momentum across Australia and New Zealand, with milestones that reflect both brand strength and customer love.

  • 16 years operating in Australia

  • 45 stores across ANZ, made up of roughly 50% franchise outlets and 50% licensed outlets such as cinemas and zoos

  • More than 1.5 million customers served in scoop shops each year

  • The first franchise Scoop Shop in Adelaide opened this year

  • The world’s most southerly scoop store operating in Christchurch, New Zealand

  • More than 180,000 free ice creams given away in just 8 hours on Free Cone Day this year

Growing With Purpose Across ANZ

Ben & Jerry’s is planning its next stage of growth with intention. The brand’s ambition is to reach around 70 stores across Australia and New Zealand, opening in carefully identified trade zones so more communities can access the Scoop Shop experience.

This is not growth for growth’s sake. Ben & Jerry’s does not plan to build a network of 100 or more locations, because the goal is to protect franchisee opportunity, avoid overcrowding markets and ensure each store strengthens the wider brand. The scoop shop network is designed to complement the core pints business, deepen local connection and create strong opportunities for the right operators.

Newcastle and Canberra are two key markets in view. As Bruce explains, Ben & Jerry’s market research points to “huge demand” in both cities, which have been identified as prime locations for future Scoop Shops. For the right franchisee, this creates a compelling opening: the chance to introduce a globally loved brand to communities already eager for it.

A Vision for Joyful Communities

Jai’s Adelaide story is one example of what is possible when a passionate operator joins a values-led brand with strong national recognition, a proven model and the right support behind it.

We are proud to support Ben & Jerry’s as they continue growing across Australia and New Zealand, bringing the brand, its mission and its one-of-a-kind Scoop Shop experience to more communities.

With opportunities emerging in markets like Newcastle and Canberra, Ben & Jerry’s is looking for its next generation of franchisees.

Are you ready to own a Ben & Jerry’s franchise? Get started today.