Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Claims Unilever Prevented Palestine-Themed Ice Cream Product
The original creators behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has stated how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate prevented the introduction of an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.
The entrepreneur, who co-founded the company alongside Jerry Greenfield, revealed that he plans to personally create the controversial product as part of a personal series highlighting causes the company has been barred from addressing publicly.
Longstanding Dispute Involving Founders versus Parent Company
This latest development escalates the ongoing disagreement among the world-famous dessert company with Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods giant that acquired the ice cream brand since 2000.
Both founders have asserted that the parent company and its ice cream arm Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "maintaining its activist principles".
The Fruit Sorbet as an Emblem for Support
The entrepreneur announced via social media how he is creating a new watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for naming options plus additional components.
“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen commented in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”
The watermelon has emerged as a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians because of its colors, which match the colors in the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.
Previous Social Engagement plus Recent Changes
Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, resulting in the parent company selling their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within the occupied West Bank.
This upcoming dessert series will be developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company which originally created several years back for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".
Management Changes plus Future Plans
The founder revealed that he plans to create additional ice cream flavors focusing on issues that Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.
The announcement comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield resigned his position at the company in September, after decades of involvement, citing worries that the company's autonomy was undermined following Unilever's decision to restrict its social activism.
At that time, Mr. Cohen commented that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it."
"My heart compels me to keep working inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the values which it was founded on while upholding for decades," he told journalists.
- Corporate owner restrictions on political advocacy
- Personal flavor creation from company founders
- Watermelon flavor as political symbol
- Continuing disagreements among parent company and ethical values