The ice cream brand's Founding Partner Claims Unilever Blocked Palestine-Themed Ice Cream Product

Ice cream activism illustration
Socially Conscious Entrepreneurs advocating for political issues through dessert products

The original creators of the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has stated how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate blocked the launch of a new pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company alongside his partner, revealed that he will personally create the controversial flavor within an individual series highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's has been barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Creators and Parent Company

The recent development intensifies the ongoing disagreement among the internationally recognized ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant which has owned the ice cream brand for over two decades.

Both founders have asserted how Unilever along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming an Emblem for Support

The entrepreneur revealed via social media how he is creating an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions for naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder declared from his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for permanent peace for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as an emblem of support for the Palestinian people because of its colors, that match the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Recent Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in areas occupied by Israel, resulting in the parent company selling the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thereby permitting continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand which was first established in 2016 for endorsing ex- political contender Senator Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes and Future Plans

The founder indicated that he plans to create other ice cream flavors that address concerns which the company was silenced from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

The announcement follows co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down from the company in September, following many years of involvement, mentioning concerns regarding how the company's autonomy had been compromised following corporate moves to curb its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

“My conscience leads me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy so that it can achieve the social mission, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to journalists.

  • Parent company restrictions on political advocacy
  • Independent flavor creation by company founders
  • Watermelon flavor as social statement
  • Ongoing disagreements between corporate ownership and ethical values
Jerry Porter
Jerry Porter

Award-winning photographer and visual storyteller with over a decade of experience capturing landscapes and urban scenes across Europe.