30 Things We're Glad We Did Before We Hit 30

It's been a mind-boggling odyssey we've been on since Ben and Jerry first set up shop in an old gas station, in Burlington, Vermont, USA Here's our retrospective list of things we're glad we did before we turned 30.

• Learned how to make ice cream:

  Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield learnt by way of a $5 correspondence course in ice-cream making from Penn State University (1978). You can see our recipe online.

• Tried to Save the Rainforest:

  Ben & Jerry's bought brazil nuts from a Co-op of Brazilian farmers, to show that the rainforest could be harvested responsibly, and turned them into a suitably nutty concoction called Rainforest Crunch (1989).

• Built the World's Largest Sundae:

  Ok we've been usurped now, but back in 1983 we broke the world record with a whopping sundae weighing over 27,102 pounds. Apparently imitation is the best form of flattery...

• Threw a Party for 100,000 of our closest friends:

  So, maybe they're not 'that' close, but close in sharing the philosophies of "peace, love and ice cream." We did host 100,000 fans every year at our annual US Festival One World, One Heart (1989-2002). In 2005 we brought it to the UK with Sundae on the Common. Come down and see us this summer.

• Got Arrested (for political reasons!):

  Ben and Jerry spent a night in the cells for protesting outside the Sudanese Embassy in aid of the people of Darfur (2003).

• Had our photo taken with Mr. T:

  If you're old enough to remember the A-Team TV show, you may appreciate the fact that Mr. T attended our annual stockholders meeting in 1990 as the honorary security chief.

• Donated money to good causes:

  The Ben & Jerry's Foundation gives away over $1 million dollars a year to help cash-strapped non-profits continue greening grass-roots causes (1985-present).

• Hugged a Cow:

  We're close to our cows and farmers through our Caring Dairy sustainable dairy programme. It makes happy cows, happy farmers and a happy planet happen.

• Spread peace, love & ice cream:

  Woodstock legend Wavy Gravy famously led security at the 60s rock festival by announcing 'What we have in mind is breakfast in bed for 400,000'. Years later, and maybe not for breakfast, our edible self-titled tribute flavour 'Wavy Gravy' helped spread hazelnut chocolate to the masses and raised money for Wavy's Camp WinnaRainbow for disadvantaged youth.

• Wrote our own mission statement:

  We decided in 1988 that ours was to make the best possible ice cream in the nicest possible way, not just good for us but for the community and the world at large.

• Honoured the Dead:

  Not everyone made it to 30, but every dearly departed flavour got its own epitaph and ended up in our Flavour Graveyard. Come pay your respects sometime at the factory in Vermont or at the virtual graveyard on line.

• Celebrated International No Diet Day (May 5):

  Some days it's good to just give in and live a little. We thought the peanut butter filled pretzels in caramel ice cream of 'Chubby Hubby' a fitting tribute in our role as official supporters of International No Diet Day back in 2000.

• Bought some Fair-Trade Products:

  We became the first ice cream to buy fair-trade certified ingredients and use them in our Vanilla ice cream in 2005.

• Took a Road Trip across the USA:

  Ben and Jerry took turns to drive a modified mobile home, known as the 'cowmobile' across the country, giving out free ice cream. Sadly the cowmobile burnt to the ground outside Cleveland after 4 months. At the time, Ben said it looked like 'the world's biggest Baked Alaska'.

• Worked out our carbon footprint:

  Our eco-gurus analysed the size of our carbon footprint from cow to cone and put us on a climate neutral diet. We've lost tonnes of weight and feel much better for it.

• Made dreams come true:

  Deadhead, Jane Williamson sent us a tub lid with her dream flavour 'Cherry Garcia' in honour of her Dead favourite guitarist, Jerry Garcia. Proceeds from the flavour support Jerry's Foundation, which helps urban youth realise dreams of their own.

• Went Free Range:

  In support of our fine, feathered-friends we use free range eggs in our ice cream mix.

• Created Our Own Job Titles:

  Some say what's in a name? But at Ben & Jerry's, we beg to differ, you'll find self-styled Primal Ice Cream Therapist, Sherlock Cones, Happy Cow Girl and Chief Euphoria Officer on the payroll.

• Made a promise to a friend, and kept it:

  Milk prices go up and down, just like the stock market. Sometimes farmers go down with it too. So Ben & Jerry's pays a premium to help sustainable dairy farmers through the lean times.

• Helped the homeless:

  The fudge brownies that the Greyston Bakery supply us with for Chocolate Fudge Brownie not only taste great, but fund the Greyston Foundation's efforts to house, employ, train and counsel the homeless.

• Got all shook up on Elvis Day:

  Wearing a white sequinned jumpsuit with wrap around shades to work wasn't easy, but we're glad we went the extra distance to celebrate Elvis' birthday with a look, sound and sneer-alike contest.

• Became the Stars of our own Circus:

  In 1991, we hit the road again with a solar powered bus loaded with vaudevillian performers. The inflatable arch and sound system were all powered by solar panels while the high energy act was used to educate on alternative sources of fuel.

• Met a President of the USA:

  Ben and Jerry were named small business people of the year in 1988, and were congratulated by President Ronald Reagan at the White House. In 2002, Ben created a mobile burning effigy of George Bush with the words 'Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire' in reference to the lack of weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq. George Bush has yet to respond.

• Turned up the volume on eco-refrigeration:

  We joined forces with Penn State University to fund research into thermo-acoustic freezer technology – an environmentally friendly way to keep ice cream cold using high frequency sound waves rather than greenhouse gases. Sounds cool to us.

• Sent in the Clones, in Protest:

  The Food Administration Authority in the US wants to allow cow cloning. We think every cow has the right be herself so almost 100 ice cream activists dressed up in cow costumes and descended on Capitol Hill, Washington to make our voices herd.

• Trained tomorrow's Eco-Entrepreneurs:

  Together with WWF and environmentalist/polar explorer Marc Cornelissen, we've been helping young people launch their own eco-business ideas with Ben & Jerry's Climate Change College.

• Grew a Beard:

  In the beginning it was just Ben that grew a beard. Years later Jerry followed suit but now Ben is clean shaven. Jerry = hairy, that's easy. So no-one gets confused with who's who, Ben always stands on the left and Jerry on the right in photos.

• Competed in the World Toe Wrestling Championships:

  We put our best foot forward in sponsoring the World Toe Wrestling championships and raised money for the Derbyshire Friendship Group.

• Gave away lots of ice cream once a year, every year:

  We're glad to say we've been thanking customers with free ice cream on our annual Free Cone Day, for almost thirty years now. It's now an annual tradition worldwide.

• Had some fun:

  Back in 1978, Ben said "Business has a responsibility to give back to the community", and Jerry said 'If it's not fun, why do it'. We've lived by those words ever since.