🔗 Share this article

The co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has stated that parent company Unilever stopped the launch of an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who established the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced how he plans to independently develop this new flavor as part of an individual collection highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Between Creators versus Corporate Owner

This latest announcement intensifies the continuing conflict among the internationally recognized dessert company with its corporate parent, the British packaged goods giant that has owned Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

Both founders have asserted that the parent company along with its ice cream arm the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated through social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, asking for public suggestions for the product's name and additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen declared from his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

This particular fruit has become an emblem of support for the Palestinian people because of its colors, which match the colors in Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Social Engagement and Current Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in areas occupied by Israel, leading to Unilever selling their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company which originally established in 2016 to support ex- political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes plus Upcoming Plans

The founder revealed how he will create additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on concerns that the company was prevented from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's recently, after many years of involvement, mentioning worries that its independence had been compromised after Unilever's decision to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked that “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy so that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company limitations regarding political advocacy
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• Watermelon flavor as political symbol
• Continuing tensions between parent company versus ethical values