Meet Our Flavour Gurus

Ben & Jerry’s Flavour Gurus make tempting your tastebuds their business. They spend their days and nights tasting the best food in the world, then they mix, blend, chop, whip and taste, taste, taste until they come up with an unmatched batch of pure ice cream euphoria.

They boldly go where no ice cream makers have gone before. From potato chips to passion fruit, no ingredient goes unconsidered for the next irresistible, completely unexpected Ben & Jerry’s flavour.

John
Eric
Chris

John Shaffer

Title:

Research & Development Group Manager

Year:

1998

Qualifications:

My experience includes: Certified Research Chef, an Associates Degree from Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, BA Binghamton University, and Recipe Creator for Time Life Books.

Current Flavours:

Cotton Candy, Banana Peanut Butter Greek Frozen Yogurt, Red Velvet Cake, Late Night Snack, Milk and Cookies, Magic Brownies, Boston Cream Pie, Cheesecake Brownie, Cinnamon Buns, Imagine Whirled Peace, Peach Cobbler, Peanut Brittle, What a Cluster

Flavours in the Graveyard:

Schweddy Balls, Black and Tan, Turtle Soup, Aloha Macadamia, Concession Obsession, Vermonty Python, Mission to Marzipan, Honey I’m Home, Peanut Turtle, Raspberry Light, Chocolate Almond Nougat, Fair Goodness Cake, Uncanny Cashew, Peanut Butter Truffle, Mud Pie, Rocky Roadish, etc.

Favorite Flavour:

Cinnamon Buns

Least Favorite:

I haven’t met an ice cream flavour I didn’t like!

What's the Best Part of Your Job:

My co-workers and our CEO - he’s the bomb!

Advice for Future Gurus:

Get plenty of rest, eat your vegetables and stay in school.

Next: Eric
Eric Fredette

Title:

Angry Chef

Year:

1996

Qualifications:

Years of experience, love of food and a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales.

Current Flavours:

Dublin Mudslide, Coconut Seven Layer Bar, Chocolate Therapy.

Flavours in the Graveyard:

Peanuts Popcorn, Totally Nuts, Fossil Fuel.

Favorite Flavour:

Phish Food and Coconut Seven Layer Bar.

Least Favorite:

Chunky Monkey.

What's the Best Part of Your Job:

Playing with food!

Guru Life:

I enjoy what I do, but it's still a lot of work. You do get instant gratification when the flavour comes out exactly the way you want. It's fun to see your flavours on the shelf at the store.

Next: Chris
Chris Rivard

Title:

Principal Food Scientist, Global Product Developer

Year:

2011

Qualifications:

I love to eat food, make food and play with food, which, for a Guru, are the most important characteristics you can have. Trying new flavors and foods from around the world is an amazing way explore new ideas. On a more boring note, I also have a BS in Nutrition and Food Science & Dietetics from UVM.

Current Flavours:

I am still the newbie of the group, so I only have one flavor: Rockin’ Blondies!

Favorite Flavour:

It's hard to choose just one! Chubby Hubby was first, and Candy Bar Pie is a close second. For the Greeks, hands down, it's Pineapple Passionfruit.

Least Favorite:

Chunky Monkey…not a big fan of bananas and ice cream.

What's the Best Part of Your Job:

The best part of being a Guru is having an excuse to try new foods and restaurants. We go on small "trend treks" in different cities to see what’s new in the food world. I had an opportunity to organize one in Tokyo. Jasmine ice cream with salted seaweed in the heart of Tokyo really gets the creativity flowing.

Advice for Future Gurus:

Experience food in as many ways as you can, stay in school and move to Vermont!

* John Shaffer *

Title:

Year:

Qualifications:

Current Flavours:

Flavours in the Graveyard:

Favorite Flavour:

Least Favorite:

What's the Best Part of Your Job:

Advice for Future Gurus:

* Eric Fredette *

Title:

Year:

Qualifications:

Current Flavours:

Flavours in the Graveyard:

Favorite Flavour:

Least Favorite:

What's the Best Part of Your Job:

Guru Life:

* Chris Rivard *

Title:

Year:

Qualifications:

Current Flavours:

Favorite Flavour:

Least Favorite:

What's the Best Part of Your Job:

Advice for Future Gurus:

John Shaffer

Eric Fredette

Chris Rivard