The ice cream brand's Founding Partner Claims Unilever Prevented Palestine-Themed Frozen Dessert Flavor
One of the co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate stopped the launch for a new pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.
Ben Cohen, who co-founded the company with his partner, disclosed how he plans to personally create this new product within a personal series highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking out about.
Ongoing Dispute Involving Founders and Corporate Owner
The recent development deepens the continuing disagreement among the internationally recognized ice cream maker and Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation which acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.
The co-founders maintain how the parent company and its ice cream arm the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company against "maintaining its activist principles".
The Fruit Sorbet as a Symbol for Support
Mr. Cohen revealed through an Instagram video that he's developing a new watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for the product's name plus additional components.
“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen declared in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”
The watermelon has become an emblem for solidarity with Palestinians because of its coloration, that match those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.
Historical Activism and Recent Changes
Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company transferring their Israel business over to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales within the occupied West Bank.
This upcoming product line is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company which originally established in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".
Management Changes plus Future Intentions
Mr. Cohen indicated that he will create additional ice cream flavors focusing on concerns which the company was silenced from addressing publicly due to corporate restrictions.
This development comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield resigned his position at the company recently, following many years of involvement, mentioning concerns regarding how the company's autonomy was undermined after Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.
At that time, Ben Cohen stated that “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."
"My heart compels me to keep working inside the company to advocate for its independence ensuring that the company can actualise the social mission, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he told media outlets.
- Parent company limitations on political advocacy
- Independent product development from company founders
- The fruit-based product as political symbol
- Ongoing disagreements among parent company versus social mission