The ice cream brand's Founding Partner Claims Parent Company Blocked Pro-Palestinian Frozen Dessert Product

One of the co-founders of the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has claimed how corporate owner Unilever blocked the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the company alongside Jerry Greenfield, disclosed how he plans to personally create the controversial product as part of a personal collection highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's was barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Creators and Corporate Owner

This latest development intensifies the ongoing tension between the internationally recognized dessert company with its corporate parent, the UK-based packaged goods corporation which acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed that Unilever and their ice cream division Magnum improperly prevented their company against "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Flavor as an Emblem for Support

Mr. Cohen stated via social media that he's developing a new watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, requesting consumer ideas regarding naming options and additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder commented from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-based ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem of solidarity with Palestinians due to its colors, which match the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Current Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, resulting in the parent company selling their Israel business to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales within disputed territories.

The new product line is being developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious dessert company which was first established in 2016 to support former political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Changes plus Upcoming Intentions

The founder stated that he plans to develop additional frozen dessert varieties that address concerns that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from addressing publicly by corporate restrictions.

This development follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, following many years of involvement, citing worries that the company's autonomy had been compromised following Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen stated that "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Corporate owner limitations on social activism
• Personal product development from company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Ongoing tensions among parent company versus ethical values