38 newly rebranded Stewart’s Shops, customers will have to decide between forgoing ice cream or giving the New York newcomer a try.

by Compass Vermont

When the upstate New York convenience store chain Stewart’s Shops finalized its acquisition of 38 Vermont-based Jolley convenience stores in late 2024, Vermonters knew to expect new signs and coffee. What many didn’t expect was a complete overhaul of the freezer aisle.

As the Jolley branding comes down and the new Stewart’s branding goes up, a Vermont icon has disappeared: Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

The move has sparked curiosity, frustration, and debate among locals. While the change was a routine business decision for the new owners, it has touched a nerve in the state where Ben & Jerry’s began. This is the full story of the ice cream swap, the business behind it, and how Vermonters are reacting.

A Business Model, Not a Boycott

According to official statements and media reports, the removal of Ben & Jerry’s was not a political statement or a targeted snub. Instead, it was a standard, and expected, part of the Stewart’s Shops business model.

Stewart’s Shops operates as a vertically integrated company, meaning it produces and sells its own house-brand products. The company runs its own dairy and ice cream plant. As noted by The Takeout, ice cream is the “backbone of the business” for the chain, which started as an ice cream shop in 1945.

When Stewart’s acquires new stores, it introduces its own line of products. A company press release about the Jolley acquisition stated the move would allow Stewart’s “to compliment Jolley’s brand by introducing products that Stewart’s is very proud of.”

In short, Stewart’s doesn’t sell Ben & Jerry’s for the same reason it doesn’t sell other competing premium ice cream brands: it sells its own ice cream. As local CBS affiliate WCAX reported, Stewart’s “brings its own products, meaning you won’t find certain familiar items (like Ben & Jerry’s) in those stores anymore.”

On the other side, Ben & Jerry’s, a subsidiary of the global conglomerate Unilever, has made no public statement on the matter. For a company of its size, being removed from a regional chain of 38 stores is generally seen as a routine distributor change.

‘Cause That’s BS’: The Local Reaction

While the business logic is straightforward, the cultural reaction in Vermont has been more complex. For many, Ben & Jerry’s is more than just ice cream; it’s a hometown brand and a point of pride. The sudden removal from dozens of local convenience stores was, for some, a shock.

The reaction on social media and public forums like Reddit has been a mix of disappointment and defiance.

“As many of the jolleys begin their re-branding to stewarts,” one Vermont-based user wrote, “I’ve noticed all Ben&Jerrys has been removed from the shelves. Does stewarts really think in vermont we’re gonna buy their not-great-upstate-ny-icecream, over our states own Ben and Jerrys ?! Cause thats bs.”

Another user issued a “warning” to fellow shoppers, explaining, “Stewart’s Shops do not carry Ben & Jerry’s ice cream! They of course carry their own line of ice cream, which is very good, but…it’s not Ben & Jerry’s.”

This sentiment was echoed in other online discussions. One commenter on a North Country Facebook page reportedly called the removal of the Vermont-based brand “shameful.”

A New Scoop in Town

However, the response hasn’t been entirely negative. The research notes that Stewart’s has its own “cult following” and has gained “defenders and new fans” in the Green Mountain State.

Stewart’s supporters point out that the company’s ice cream is often less expensive than Ben & Jerry’s and has won multiple Blue Ribbon awards at events like the World Dairy Expo. Flavors like Adirondack Bear Paw and Maple Walnut have already won over some Vermont customers.

The company’s focus on its own dairy products is central to its identity. According to reports, Stewart’s is often regarded in its home region of upstate New York as “the best ice cream you can get at a gas station.”

A Choice for Vermonters

Ultimately, the great freezer swap at the former Jolley stores presents Vermonters with a new choice. Ben & Jerry’s remains widely available in supermarkets, scoop shops, and other convenience stores across the state. Its status as a Vermont icon is secure.

The change simply means that at these 38 newly rebranded Stewart’s Shops, customers will have to decide between forgoing ice cream or giving the New York newcomer a try. Stewart’s, for its part, is banking on its own flavors, prices, and quality to win over its new Vermont audience, one scoop at a time.