🔗 Share this article

The original creators of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has announced how corporate owner Unilever blocked the introduction of a new pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that co-founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he plans to independently develop the controversial product within a personal series showcasing issues the company has been prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Between Creators and Parent Company

The recent development deepens the continuing disagreement among the world-famous ice cream maker and its corporate parent, the UK-based packaged goods corporation which acquired Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

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

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol of Solidarity

Mr. Cohen revealed through an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas regarding the product's name and additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented from a cooking set. “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 an emblem of support for Palestinians due to its coloration, which mirror the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Recent Changes

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, leading to Unilever transferring the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales within disputed territories.

The new dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company which was first established several years back for endorsing former political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts and Upcoming Plans

The founder stated how he plans to create additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years of involvement, mentioning concerns regarding how its independence was undermined after corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked that “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence so that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that established its foundation while upholding for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company restrictions on social activism
• Independent flavor creation by company founders
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Ongoing tensions among parent company versus social mission