🔗 Share this article

One of the co-founders of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has claimed that corporate owner Unilever blocked the introduction for an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that established the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he plans to personally create the controversial flavor as part of an individual collection showcasing causes the company was prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Involving Creators versus Parent Company

The recent announcement deepens the continuing tension among the internationally recognized ice cream maker with Unilever, the British consumer goods giant that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain that Unilever along with its ice cream arm the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company from "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Sorbet as an Emblem for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen stated via social media how he is creating an innovative watermelon-based frozen dessert, requesting public suggestions for the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has become a symbol for solidarity with Palestinians because of its colors, which closely resemble those of Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Activism plus Recent Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of its products in areas under Israeli control, leading to Unilever selling their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales in disputed territories.

This upcoming product line will be created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand which was first established several years back to support ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Shifts plus Future Plans

The founder revealed how he plans to develop other ice cream flavors focusing on concerns that the company was silenced from addressing publicly by Unilever.

The announcement follows partner Mr. Greenfield stepped down his position at the company in September, following decades with the organization, mentioning worries regarding how the company's autonomy had been compromised following corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that it can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on while upholding for decades," he told media outlets.

• Parent company limitations on social activism
• Personal flavor creation by original creators
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Continuing tensions among corporate ownership and social mission