Ben & Jerry's Founding Partner Alleges Parent Company Halted Palestine-Themed Frozen Dessert Product
The original creators of the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has claimed that parent company Unilever prevented the introduction for an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.
The entrepreneur, that established the business with his partner, revealed how he will independently develop this new flavor within a personal series highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's has been barred from addressing publicly.
Ongoing Dispute Involving Founders versus Parent Company
This latest development deepens the ongoing disagreement among the internationally recognized dessert company and its corporate parent, the British consumer goods corporation that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.
The co-founders maintain that the parent company along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked their company from "honouring its social mission".
The Fruit Flavor as an Emblem of Solidarity
The entrepreneur announced via an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-based frozen dessert, requesting public suggestions regarding the product's name plus potential ingredients.
“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder declared in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”
This particular fruit has become an emblem of support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, that closely resemble those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.
Historical Activism and Current Changes
Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in territories occupied by Israel, resulting in Unilever selling the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within disputed territories.
The new dessert series is being developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company which originally established several years back for endorsing ex- political contender Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Return".
Leadership Changes plus Upcoming Plans
The founder revealed how he plans to develop other ice cream flavors focusing on concerns which Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.
This development comes after partner Mr. Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, after decades with the organization, citing concerns that the company's autonomy had been undermined after corporate moves to curb its social activism.
Previously, Mr. Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."
"My heart compels me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that it can fulfill its ethical purpose, the principles which it was founded on while upholding for over 40 years," he told journalists.
- Corporate owner limitations regarding social activism
- Independent flavor creation from company founders
- Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
- Continuing disagreements among corporate ownership and social mission