The ice cream brand's Founding Partner Alleges Parent Company Prevented Palestine-Themed Ice Cream Flavor

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

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company with his partner, announced how he plans to independently develop this new flavor within a personal series showcasing causes Ben & Jerry's has been barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Between Creators versus Corporate Owner

The recent announcement deepens the ongoing tension between the internationally recognized dessert company and Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant that acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

Both founders have asserted that Unilever and their ice cream division Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated through an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, asking for consumer ideas for naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

This particular fruit has emerged as a symbol for support for the Palestinian people because of its colors, that mirror the colors in the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Activism plus Current Developments

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in territories occupied by Israel, resulting in the parent company transferring the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thus allowing ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company that was first established in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes plus Future Plans

The founder stated how he will create other frozen dessert varieties that address issues which the company was silenced from addressing publicly due to corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's recently, after many years with the organization, citing worries regarding how the company's autonomy was undermined following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen commented how "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience leads me to continue to work within the organization to fight for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill the social mission, the values that established its foundation while upholding for decades," he told journalists.

• Parent company restrictions regarding social activism
• Independent flavor creation by company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
• Ongoing tensions between corporate ownership versus social mission