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yesterday

Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield Resigns, Citing Loss of Brand Independence

His departure follows legal fights over alleged censorship tied to Ben & Jerry’s merger-era governance.

Ben Cohen (left) and Jerry Greenfield (right), co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s, partnered with MoveOn to hand out free ice cream at Franklin Square in Philadelphia during their Scoop The Vote tour to get-out-the-vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats down the ballot on September 16, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, partnered with MoveOn to hand out free ice cream at Franklin Square in Philadelphia during their Scoop The Vote tour to get-out-the-vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats down the ballot on September 16, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Overview

  • Greenfield stepped down after 47 years, saying the company has been silenced and no longer retains the autonomy promised in its 2000 sale to Unilever.
  • He pointed to a merger agreement that established an independent board to safeguard the brand’s social mission, which he now says has been undermined.
  • The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which houses Ben & Jerry’s, disputed his characterization and said it remains committed to the brand’s values-based mission.
  • Ben & Jerry’s has active lawsuits accusing Unilever of blocking statements in support of Palestinians and of retaliatory removal of CEO David Stever.
  • Unilever’s ice-cream business is proceeding toward a mid-November demerger and listings under The Magnum Ice Cream Company, as the founders press a #FreeBenAndJerrys campaign that the company says it will not entertain.