Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield has resigned from the renowned ice cream company after nearly five decades due to a dispute with its parent corporation Unilever.
Greenfield, in a letter made public by his co-founder Ben Cohen, expressed feeling stifled by Unilever’s restrictions on his social activism. He stated that he could no longer, in good faith, continue as an employee of Ben & Jerry’s after 47 years.
Established by Greenfield and Cohen in 1978 in Vermont, USA, Ben & Jerry’s faced tensions with Unilever over political and social matters. The discord arose when Ben & Jerry’s opted not to sell ice cream in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories in 2021.
Following this decision, Unilever sold the brand in that region to its Israeli licensee. Additionally, Ben & Jerry’s alleged that Unilever had pressured the brand to cease criticizing Donald Trump.
Recently, Greenfield and Cohen demanded that Ben & Jerry’s be freed from its parent company and regain independence. However, Unilever affirmed that Ben & Jerry’s would remain part of the group and was not up for sale.
In his resignation statement, Greenfield lamented the loss of independence that was a core aspect of the sale to Unilever, emphasizing that the company’s mission was not solely about ice cream but also about advocating for equity, justice, and a better world.
Ben & Jerry’s will be separated from Unilever and integrated into The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is poised for a stock market listing. A spokesperson for The Magnum Ice Cream Company expressed gratitude to Greenfield for his contributions to the brand and stated the company’s commitment to upholding Ben & Jerry’s values and legacy.