🔗 Share this article

The original creators of the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has stated how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate blocked the launch for an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced how he will personally create this new product within a personal series showcasing causes Ben & Jerry's was barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Between Founders and Parent Company

This latest development escalates the ongoing tension between the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods corporation which has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed how Unilever along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked their company from "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Sorbet becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated through social media how he is creating an innovative watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions regarding naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen declared in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has emerged as a symbol for solidarity with the Palestinian people due to its colors, that closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Current Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company selling their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution in disputed territories.

The new product line is being created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally created in 2016 for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts and Future Plans

The founder revealed that he will create additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on concerns that Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

This development comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September, after decades with the organization, citing worries that its independence was undermined following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen stated that “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart compels me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can fulfill the social mission, the principles that established its foundation while upholding for decades," he told journalists.

• Corporate owner limitations regarding social activism
• Independent product development from original creators
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Ongoing tensions among parent company and social mission