🔗 Share this article

One of the co-founders behind the well-known frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has stated that corporate owner Unilever prevented the introduction of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that established the company with Jerry Greenfield, disclosed how he plans to independently develop this new flavor as part of a personal collection showcasing issues the company was prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Conflict Involving Founders versus Parent Company

The recent announcement escalates the continuing conflict between the internationally recognized dessert company and Unilever, the British consumer goods giant which acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders maintain how Unilever along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Flavor becoming a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur stated via social media how he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting public suggestions regarding naming options plus additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen declared in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol for support for Palestinians because of its coloration, which closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Recent Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of its products in territories under Israeli control, resulting in Unilever selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution within the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company that originally created in 2016 to support former political contender Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts plus Upcoming Intentions

Mr. Cohen stated how he will create additional frozen dessert varieties that address concerns that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from addressing publicly due to corporate restrictions.

This development follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years of involvement, citing worries regarding how its independence had been undermined after corporate moves to curb its social activism.

At that time, Mr. Cohen commented that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to fight for its independence so that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the values that established its foundation while upholding for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company restrictions on social activism
• Independent flavor creation by original creators
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Continuing disagreements among corporate ownership and ethical values