Ben & Jerry's Founding Partner States Unilever Blocked Palestine-Themed Ice Cream Flavor

The original creators of the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has stated how parent company Unilever prevented the launch of an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that established the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he will personally create the controversial flavor as part of an individual collection highlighting issues the company has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Conflict Between Founders and Parent Company

This latest announcement escalates the continuing tension among the internationally recognized dessert company and its corporate parent, the British packaged goods giant which acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders maintain that the parent company along with their ice cream division Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Sorbet as an Emblem of Solidarity

Mr. Cohen announced through an Instagram video how he is creating a new watermelon-based sorbet, asking for consumer ideas regarding naming options and additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people because of its colors, that mirror the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Social Engagement plus Current Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business to a local licensee, thereby permitting continued sales within the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand that was first created several years back for endorsing former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes and Future Plans

Mr. Cohen revealed how he will develop other ice cream flavors focusing on issues which the company was prevented from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

The announcement comes after partner Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's recently, after decades with the organization, mentioning worries regarding how its independence had been compromised following corporate moves to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen commented how “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise the social mission, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told journalists.

• Parent company restrictions regarding political advocacy
• Personal flavor creation by original creators
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Ongoing tensions among parent company versus social mission