Business Wars

Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s revolutionized the ice cream industry by raising the standard for the frozen treat and pioneering new styles and flavors. Now, new ice cream mavericks are on the scene, raising both the caliber and cost of pints. Be prepared to get hungry as food journalist Charlotte Druckman walks us through the artisanal, ultra-premium ice cream scene, which she documented in an article for Eater...

On May 4, 2001, Bonny Lee Bakley was found fatally shot in a car on a dark North Hollywood street. The prime suspect was her husband, famed actor Robert Blake. But Bonny, a longtime con artist, had plenty of enemies. She left behind a trail of men she’d scammed, and she had a volatile relationship with Christian Brando, the troubled son of movie star Marlon Brando.  Not since the O.J. Simpson case had the eyes of the nation been so fixated on a homicide...

It's the year 2000 and Ben & Jerry's is under new ownership. But as promises that were made before the sale get broken, employees wonder if the brand's values can survive the new regime. Meanwhile, Häagen-Dazs finds itself wrestling with how to move with the times while staying true to the brand's values. But while the super-premium brands are soul searching, a plucky Los Angeles start-up is about to churn up the ice cream market...

It's 1998 and Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's are now tasty targets in the global ice cream war between Unilever and Nestlé. As these multi-billion-dollar consumer goods giants move in, the U.S. ice cream market enters a state of churn. Enemies turn to allies, friends become foes, alliances shatter, and dreams get crushed. This series was originally released as a Wondery+ Exclusive in 2021. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+...

Introducing the true crime podcast Persona: The French Deception— the story of Gilbert Chikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. What does it feel like to pick up the phone and scam someone out of $50 million? Host and award-winning journalist, Evan Ratliff, investigates how Chikli successfully duped some of the world’s most powerful people into handing over their fortunes. He explores how Chikli evaded the law for years and became a Robin Hood-like hero...

It's the dawn of the 1990s and with America under its spell, Häagen-Dazs is eyeing the millions to be made in Europe and Asia. But back in the USA, Ben & Jerry's is about to undergo a major growth spurt thanks to its latest flavor sensation. And with Ben & Jerry's scooping up customers fast, a war for supremacy in the supermarket freezer aisles is about to erupt. This series was originally released as a Wondery+ Exclusive in 2021...

Business is filled with highs and lows, especially when you’re building a company from the ground up. How I Built This with Guy Raz explores the stories of some of the best known brands in the world and the entrepreneurs behind them.   Each week, Guy talks with founders about the journey to where they are today ...the triumphs, setbacks, outright failures and everything in between. He’s spoken with the founders of Coinbase, Moderna, Discord, Strava and many more from your favorite companies...

It's 1984 and Ben & Jerry's is fighting for its life. Häagen-Dazs is pressuring distributors to stop carrying the Vermont ice cream brand and the deadline for distributors to comply is closing in fast. But with help from a lawyer with a hole in his shoe and a spate of publicity stunts, Ben & Jerry's hopes to pull off an unlikely victory. This series was originally released as a Wondery+ Exclusive in 2021. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+...

Since the pandemic began, many of us have traded our blazers for t-shirts and loafers for slippers as remote work has become the new normal. There’s been a fundamental shift in what employees expect from their workplace — and spoiler alert, going in five days a week isn’t it. So how can business owners adapt to this changing landscape without losing employees in this hot labor market? Stanford Economics Professor Nick Bloom has studied productivity and remote work for two decades...

It's 1958 and in New York City, Reuben Mattus is under fire. The big dairies are crushing his family's ice cream business and shutting him out of supermarkets. Desperate, he imagines a new, luxury ice cream with an eye-popping price tag. He calls it Häagen-Dazs and it's going to give his foes the chills. This series was originally released as a Wondery+ Exclusive in 2021. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+...