🔗 Share this article

One of the co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has claimed how parent company Unilever prevented the launch of an innovative pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who co-founded the company alongside Jerry Greenfield, announced how he will personally create this new flavor within a personal collection showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Involving Creators versus Corporate Owner

The recent development deepens the continuing disagreement among the world-famous ice cream maker and its corporate parent, the British consumer goods giant that has owned the ice cream brand for over two decades.

Both founders have asserted that the parent company and its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Sorbet as a Symbol of Support

Mr. Cohen revealed via social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas regarding naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol for support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, which mirror those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Historical Social Engagement and Recent Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company transferring the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution within disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company which originally created in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes plus Upcoming Intentions

The founder stated how he will create other frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues which the company was prevented from addressing publicly by corporate restrictions.

This development follows partner Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company recently, after many years with the organization, citing concerns that the company's autonomy was undermined following Unilever's decision to curb its social activism.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to continue to work within the organization to fight for its independence ensuring that it can actualise the social mission, the values which established its foundation while upholding for over 40 years," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner limitations on social activism
• Personal flavor creation from original creators
• Watermelon flavor as political symbol
• Continuing disagreements between corporate ownership and ethical values