Ben & Jerry’s seeks sustainability entrepreneurs in €10,000 competition
13/02/12: Ben & Jerry’s is seeking Europe’s top sustainability-led entrepreneurs – rewarding the five finest candidates with a €10,000 prize and a chance to have their name featured on the brand’s ice cream tubs.
Ben & Jerry’s seeks Europe’s brightest business brains
The "Join Our Core" competition offers bright sparks an opportunity to pitch their sustainable business plans to a panel of industry leaders.
The first 100 candidates to submit their ideas will win a year’s supply of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
Once all the entries are in, 25 semi-finalists will be invited to share their proposals with judges representing charities such as Ashoka, VSO and the Fairtrade Foundation. Ben & Jerry’s founder Jerry Greenfield will also be on the panel.
A group of 15 shortlisted finalists will then visit rural communities in Uganda with VSO. There they’ll have a unique opportunity to see social business ideas brought to life, and will spend time with the Fairtrade vanilla farmers who supply Ben & Jerry’s with one of their key ingredients.
Mentoring, marketing & money to invest
The final five overall winners will scoop €10,000 to invest in their business plans, and their name will be promoted on Ben & Jerry’s tubs across Europe in 2013. They will also win mentoring from global entrepreneurship organisation Ashoka.
“When we set up the company in 1978, Ben and I always believed giving back to the community was as important as making great-tasting ice cream. That’s why I’m so excited about this competition to find business models with those same values that still lead us today,” says Jerry.
“Join Our Core is about driving positive change that could help individuals around the world,” adds Ilaria Ida, Ben & Jerry’s European Social Mission Manager.
“We would love to see more socially minded start-ups making a difference and showing that values-led businesses can prosper, even in tough economic times.”
Core Concoctions flavours
Join Our Core opens for entries as Ben & Jerry’s launches its new range of Core Concoctions flavours.
The three new options are: Karamel Sutra™ with a sensuous sweet caramel core surrounded by chocolate & caramel ice creams delightfully laced with fudge chips. Berry White, a soft chocolate truffle core surrounded by vanilla & raspberry ice creams with white chocolatey chunks & raspberry pieces. And Dough-ble Whammy, a soft chocolate fudge core surrounded by chocolate & cookie dough ice creams with cookie dough chunks.
Find out more and enter the competition.
The competition closes on 15 April 2012.
