🔗 Share this article

One of the original creators of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has announced that parent company the multinational conglomerate prevented the introduction for a new Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

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 the company was barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Between Creators versus Corporate Owner

This latest announcement escalates the continuing disagreement among the world-famous dessert company with Unilever, the British consumer goods giant that acquired Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have claimed that the parent company and their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur revealed via an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting public suggestions regarding the product's name plus additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen commented in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as an emblem of support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, which closely resemble those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Activism plus Recent Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in areas occupied by Israel, resulting in Unilever selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in disputed territories.

The new dessert series is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand that was first established in 2016 to support former political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes and Upcoming Plans

The founder indicated that he will create additional ice cream flavors that address concerns that the company was prevented from addressing publicly by Unilever.

This development comes after partner Mr. Greenfield stepped down from the company in September, after decades with the organization, mentioning worries regarding how the company's autonomy had been compromised after corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen stated that "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to keep working within the organization to fight for its independence so that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions on social activism
• Independent product development by company founders
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements among parent company versus social mission