Ben & Jerry’s Co-founder Resigns After Conflict With Unilever Over Activism

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brand, has resigned from his role as the company’s brand ambassador after a public rift with parent entity Unilever.

In an open letter posted on social media on Sept. 17 by his business partner, Ben Cohen, Greenfield said the company had been silenced by Unilever.

“Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important—and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power. It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk,” Greenfield wrote.

“The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose.”

Ben & Jerry’s was founded in 1978. When Unilever acquired the brand in 2000, it “guaranteed” that Ben & Jerry’s would be allowed to pursue their values, the letter said, adding that this independence has instead been stifled.

Under Unilever’s ownership, Ben & Jerry’s has spoken on numerous social issues such as human rights, peace, and justice, he wrote.

“That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever—one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity,” Greenfield added.

Greenfield said it was “profoundly disappointing” to realize that this independence, which was the basis of the sale to Unilever, has now gone.

Greenfield’s departure comes at a time when The Magnum Ice Cream Company, under which Ben & Jerry’s operates as a wholly owned subsidiary, is pushing for a full demerger from Unilever.

Magnum, the largest ice cream company in the world, is a Unilever brand that currently operates as a standalone company. Magnum is expected to complete its full separation from Unilever in mid-November.

In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, a spokesperson for The Magnum Ice Cream Company said they were “forever grateful” to Greenfield for co-founding Ben & Jerry’s and wished him well for his future endeavors.

“We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world,” the spokesperson said.

“We remain committed to Ben & Jerry’s unique three-part mission—product, economic and social—and remain focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand. Ben & Jerry’s is a proud and thriving part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company and we look forward to further building on its success.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Ben & Jerry’s for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.

Ben & Jerry’s, headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont, employs 501–1,000 workers, according to the company’s LinkedIn profile.

Israel Boycott Issue

Ben & Jerry’s activism has been a point of conflict with Unilever. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s decided to stop selling ice cream in Israeli settlements located in East Jerusalem and the West Bank regions.

In 2022, Unilever settled the matter by selling Ben & Jerry’s Israeli business rights to a local company.

American ice cream makers Ben Cohen (L) and Jerry Greenfield (R), founders of the brand Ben & Jerry’s, give out ice creams for free at their store in Amsterdam on Feb. 22, 2010. Ade Johnson/AFP/Getty Images

In November last year, Ben & Jerry’s filed a lawsuit against Unilever, alleging that the parent company was suppressing free speech. In March, Ben & Jerry’s amended the complaint, accusing Unilever of removing the ice cream brand’s CEO, David Stever, in retaliation for the company’s activism.

“Social justice and human rights are core to Ben & Jerry’s DNA,” the company said in the complaint.

“For over four decades, the company has pursued its unique Social Mission via its public, progressive stances on issues such as migrant justice, LGBTQ+ rights, Black Lives Matter, GMO labeling, and a variety of other economic and social causes affecting historically marginalized communities.”

The lawsuit alleged that Unilever blocked Ben & Jerry’s attempts to issue public statements supporting peace and human rights related to the “ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

Ben & Jerry’s activism has also triggered backlash from authorities.

In 2021, the New York State pension fund announced it was withdrawing $111 million worth of equity investments in Unilever following Ben & Jerry’s Israel boycott. Similar sanctions on Unilever were previously taken by U.S. states New Jersey, Arizona, and Florida.

In December 2023, the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer said that investments in Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever were prohibited due to the ice cream brand’s boycott of Israel.

Treasurer Dale R. Folwell ordered the department and the North Carolina Retirement Systems to divest $40 million in Unilever assets.

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield speaks at a news conference about mandatory GMO labeling in the United States, on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 10, 2014. Susan Walsh/AP Photo

“We have policies in place per state law that dictate how we should proceed on any holdings in the retirement system of companies that boycott Israel and their affiliates. We will follow our policies and the law,” Folwell said at the time.

“This is particularly important in this case as we have witnessed the atrocities perpetrated against the Israeli people. There is no place for antisemitism in this state or this country.”

In 2023, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Cohen was arrested during a protest supporting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. He was sitting outside the Department of Justice building with other activists and was arrested for allegedly blocking the building entrance.

In 2016, Greenfield and Cohen were arrested while protesting on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building.

“The history of our country is that nothing happens until people start putting their bodies on the line and risk getting arrested,” Cohen said in a company statement at the time.