The ice cream brand's Co-Founder States Unilever Blocked Palestine-Themed Ice Cream Product
The original creators behind the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has stated that parent company the multinational conglomerate stopped the introduction of a new pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.
Ben Cohen, who established the business with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he plans to personally create this new flavor as part of a personal collection showcasing causes Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from addressing publicly.
Longstanding Dispute Between Founders versus Corporate Owner
This latest announcement deepens the continuing conflict among the world-famous dessert company and its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.
Both founders have claimed that Unilever along with its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".
The Fruit Flavor as an Emblem of Support
The entrepreneur revealed via social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for naming options and potential ingredients.
“I'm doing what they couldn't,” the founder declared in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”
This particular fruit has emerged as a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians due to its colors, which match the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.
Previous Activism plus Current Changes
Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, leading to Unilever transferring their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within the occupied West Bank.
This upcoming product line will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand that was first created in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".
Leadership Shifts plus Future Intentions
Mr. Cohen indicated how he will develop other ice cream flavors focusing on issues which Ben & Jerry's was silenced from addressing publicly by corporate restrictions.
This development comes after partner Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company recently, following decades with the organization, citing concerns regarding how the company's autonomy was undermined after corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.
Previously, Ben Cohen commented that "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."
“My conscience leads me to keep working inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.
- Parent company restrictions on political advocacy
- Independent product development by company founders
- The fruit-based product as social statement
- Continuing tensions among parent company and social mission