🔗 Share this article

One of the co-founders behind the famous ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has announced that parent company the multinational conglomerate blocked the launch of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who established the business alongside his partner, announced how he will personally create the controversial flavor within a personal series showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's has been barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Between Creators and Corporate Owner

This latest development escalates the ongoing conflict between the internationally recognized ice cream maker and its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that has owned Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed how Unilever along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked their company from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Sorbet as an Emblem of Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated through an Instagram video how he's developing a new watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas regarding naming options and additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder declared in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become a symbol for solidarity with Palestinians due to its colors, which match those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Social Engagement plus Recent Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in disputed territories.

The new dessert series is being created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand that was first created in 2016 for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes and Future Intentions

The founder revealed that he will create additional ice cream flavors focusing on issues that Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.

This development follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's recently, following many years with the organization, citing worries regarding how its independence was compromised after Unilever's decision to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen commented that "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can achieve the social mission, the principles which it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding social activism
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements between parent company versus social mission