Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Accuses Unilever Of Blocking Palestinian-Themed Ice Cream

Ben & Jerry's co-founder, Ben Cohen, revealed that Unilever blocked the company from creating a Palestinian-themed ice cream flavor. The flavor was intended to promote peace and justice, echoing Ben & Jerry's history of activism. Cohen is independently creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream, a symbol of Palestinian identity, as a result. While Ben & Jerry's board proposed the flavor, Magnum, a Unilever subsidiary, declined to develop it. This situation mirrors a previous dispute over selling ice cream in Israeli settlements, which Unilever later resolved. Ben & Jerry's has a past of supporting causes, which has caused conflict with Unilever. In 2024, Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever, accusing them of suppressing free speech, leading to their CEO's removal. Jerry Greenfield, the other co-founder, has resigned from Ben & Jerry's over this issue. Ben & Jerry’s faced criticism from Jewish groups over pro-Palestine statements regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict. Several states have divested investments from Unilever due to Ben & Jerry’s stance on Israel. The co-founders have a history of being arrested during protests. The demerger between Magnum and Unilever has been postponed.