Ben & Jerry’s came out with their famed “Phish Food” ice cream 20 years ago today. The two business owners, Ben and Jerry, considered themselves “lucky to be associated” with the band, their fans, and the culture that comes along with Phish, even joining them on stage in 1996 at Clifford Ball. The history of the ice cream brand is pretty unique, and the story is told in this newly released video.
The ice cream company is the only time that Phish has given their name to a product, drummer Jon Fishman explains in the video interview. They decided to do so as an alternative way to raise funds that could be donated to charity. In 1997, Phish established The WaterWheel Foundation with royalties of Phish Food.
The WaterWheel Foundation chooses non-profits from a large sphere of needs including social services, primarily those benefitting women and children; environmental, with a focus on clean water and land conservation with public access; as well as food banks, urban gardening and the like. Thanks to the generosity of the fans, since its creation WaterWheel’s Touring Division has donated over $1,000,000 to more than 425 groups.
Watch the full video below: