🔗 Share this article Ben & Jerry's Founding Partner States Unilever Blocked Palestine-Themed Ice Cream Product Socially Conscious Entrepreneurs promoting political issues through dessert products One of the original creators of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has stated how corporate owner Unilever stopped the launch of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product. Ben Cohen, who co-founded the company alongside his partner, announced that he plans to independently develop this new product within a personal collection highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from addressing publicly. Ongoing Dispute Between Founders and Corporate Owner The recent development escalates the ongoing disagreement between the world-famous ice cream maker and its corporate parent, the British packaged goods corporation which has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades. Both founders have asserted how Unilever and their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked their company from "maintaining its activist principles". The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol of Solidarity Mr. Cohen announced through social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-based frozen dessert, requesting consumer ideas for naming options plus potential ingredients. “I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder declared from a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for addressing the harm that was done there.” This particular fruit has become a symbol of support for Palestinians due to its colors, which closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white. Previous Activism and Recent Changes Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business over to a local licensee, thus allowing ongoing distribution within disputed territories. This upcoming product line is being developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company that was first established several years back to support ex- political contender Bernie Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Return". Leadership Changes and Upcoming Intentions The founder stated that he plans to create other ice cream flavors focusing on issues which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions. The announcement comes after partner Jerry Greenfield stepped down from the company in September, after many years with the organization, mentioning worries that its independence was undermined after corporate moves to restrict its social activism. Previously, Mr. Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it." "My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values that established its foundation while upholding for decades," he explained to media outlets. Parent company limitations regarding social activism Personal flavor creation by original creators The fruit-based product serving as political symbol Ongoing disagreements between parent company and social mission