The ice cream brand's Founding Partner States Parent Company Halted Pro-Palestinian Ice Cream Flavor
One of the original creators behind the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has announced how corporate owner Unilever prevented the launch of a new pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.
The entrepreneur, that co-founded the business with Jerry Greenfield, revealed how he will personally create the controversial flavor within an individual collection highlighting issues the company was barred from addressing publicly.
Ongoing Conflict Between Creators and Corporate Owner
This latest development intensifies the ongoing disagreement between the world-famous dessert company and its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods giant which acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.
The co-founders have asserted that the parent company along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".
The Fruit Sorbet as a Symbol of Support
Mr. Cohen announced through an Instagram video that he's developing a new watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for the product's name plus additional components.
“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder commented in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”
The watermelon has emerged as a symbol for support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, that closely resemble the colors in the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.
Previous Social Engagement and Current Changes
Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in territories under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company selling their Israel business over to a local licensee, thereby permitting ongoing distribution within the occupied West Bank.
This upcoming dessert series is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand which was first created several years back for endorsing ex- political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".
Leadership Shifts and Upcoming Intentions
The founder revealed how he plans to create other ice cream flavors focusing on issues which the company was prevented from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.
This development follows partner Mr. Greenfield stepped down his position at the company recently, after decades with the organization, citing concerns regarding how its independence had been undermined following corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.
At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was deeply distressing him."
“My conscience leads me to keep working within the organization to fight for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values which established its foundation and has maintained for over 40 years," he told media outlets.
- Parent company restrictions on social activism
- Independent flavor creation by company founders
- Watermelon flavor as social statement
- Ongoing disagreements between parent company and social mission