🔗 Share this article

The co-founders of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has claimed that parent company the multinational conglomerate prevented the launch of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, who established the business with Jerry Greenfield, announced how he will independently develop this new flavor as part of a personal collection highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Between Creators versus Parent Company

The recent announcement deepens the ongoing disagreement among the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation which has owned Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders have asserted how Unilever along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company against "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Flavor becoming an Emblem for Solidarity

The entrepreneur announced via social media that he is creating a new watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions regarding naming options and additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen commented in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol for support for the Palestinian people because of its colors, that match those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Social Engagement plus Recent Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to Unilever selling their Israel business over to a local licensee, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally created several years back for endorsing former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts and Future Plans

The founder stated that he plans to develop additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues that Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at the company in September, after decades of involvement, mentioning concerns that the company's autonomy was undermined following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen commented how “My partner has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to keep working within the organization to fight for its independence ensuring that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the principles which it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Corporate owner limitations on social activism
• Personal product development by original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements among parent company and ethical values