Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Claims Unilever Blocked Pro-Palestinian Frozen Dessert Flavor

One of the original creators of the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has stated how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate blocked the introduction of an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who established the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he will personally create this new product as part of an individual collection showcasing issues the company was barred from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Conflict Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

The recent development escalates the ongoing conflict between the world-famous dessert company with its corporate parent, the UK-based packaged goods corporation that acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders have asserted that the parent company and its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented their company from "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Sorbet becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen revealed through social media how he is creating a new watermelon-flavored sorbet, asking for consumer ideas for the product's name and additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as an emblem of solidarity with Palestinians because of its colors, that mirror those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Activism and Current Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in territories under Israeli control, leading to the parent company selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series is being developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand that was first established in 2016 to support ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Management Changes plus Future Intentions

The founder indicated that he will develop additional ice cream flavors that address issues which the company was silenced from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.

This development follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned from the company recently, after many years with the organization, citing concerns that the company's autonomy had been compromised following Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy so that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the principles that established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding social activism
• Independent flavor creation from original creators
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Continuing disagreements between parent company and social mission