🔗 Share this article

One of the co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has announced that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate prevented the launch for an innovative pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who established the business with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he will personally create the controversial product within an individual series showcasing issues the company was barred from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Creators versus Corporate Owner

This latest development deepens the continuing tension among the world-famous ice cream maker with its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that acquired the ice cream brand since 2000.

Both founders maintain how Unilever and their ice cream division Magnum improperly prevented their company from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Flavor becoming an Emblem for Support

Mr. Cohen revealed through an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, asking for consumer ideas regarding naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” the founder commented in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol of support for Palestinians due to its colors, which match the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Historical Activism and Current Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, leading to Unilever transferring their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand that originally established in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts and Upcoming Intentions

Mr. Cohen stated that he plans to create additional ice cream flavors that address issues which the company was prevented from addressing publicly by Unilever.

The announcement comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield resigned his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, following many years with the organization, mentioning worries regarding how the company's autonomy had been compromised following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Mr. Cohen remarked that “My partner has a really big heart and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart compels me to keep working within the organization to advocate for its independence ensuring that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the values that established its foundation while upholding for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company limitations regarding social activism
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Continuing tensions among parent company versus social mission