🔗 Share this article

One of the co-founders of the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has announced that parent company the multinational conglomerate stopped the launch of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who established the business with Jerry Greenfield, announced how he will independently develop this new flavor as part of a personal series showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's has been barred from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Creators and Corporate Owner

This latest development escalates the ongoing conflict among the internationally recognized dessert company with Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation that acquired Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

The co-founders have claimed that the parent company and its ice cream arm Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Flavor becoming a Symbol for Support

Mr. Cohen stated via an Instagram video that he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name plus additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder declared from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

This particular fruit has emerged as an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian people because of its colors, which match those of Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Activism plus Recent Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in areas under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in disputed territories.

The new dessert series is being developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand which originally created several years back for endorsing former political contender Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes plus Upcoming Intentions

The founder stated how he will develop other frozen dessert varieties that address issues which the company was prevented from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at the company recently, after decades of involvement, mentioning concerns that its independence was compromised following Unilever's decision to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Mr. Cohen remarked how "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart compels me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy so that it can actualise its ethical purpose, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he told journalists.

• Corporate owner limitations on political advocacy
• Personal flavor creation from original creators
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements between corporate ownership versus social mission