Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen is accusing parent company Unilever of stifling free speech after the company allegedly blocked the brand from releasing an ice cream flavor supporting peace in Gaza. Speaking to the Guardian, Cohen described Unilever's move as a "corporate attack on free speech" and part of a broader trend of "corporate butt kissing" of President Trump. The flavor, meant to show solidarity with Palestinians, had reportedly been greenlit by Ben & Jerry's independent board about a year ago. Unilever, however, decided not to pursue the idea, with its ice cream arm, Magnum, confirming the board's proposal was shelved this summer.
The company said it was not the right time for such a product while pointing to other social campaigns, including one focused on First Amendment rights in the US. The ongoing dispute marks another chapter in the rocky relationship between Ben & Jerry's founders and Unilever, which acquired the brand in 2000 but allowed for an independent board to oversee its social mission. Cohen and his co-founder, Jerry Greenfield—who resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September—say Unilever has backtracked on that commitment. In a lawsuit filed last year, Ben & Jerry's accused Magnum's CEO of blocking the brand from criticizing Trump, per Reuters.
Magnum says it remains committed to Ben & Jerry's three-part mission covering product quality, economic sustainability, and social impact. But it says "the independent members of Ben & Jerry's board are not, and have never been, responsible for the Ben & Jerry's commercial strategy and execution." Under Unilever, Cohen is considered an unpaid employee who has no formal role in the ice cream business. He has now pledged to make a limited-run pro-Palestinian flavor via his own Ben's Best label, inviting the public to help name and shape the batch, which he says will feature watermelon—a symbol of Palestinian solidarity.
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