Overview
- Ben Cohen announced he will produce a watermelon sorbet under his Ben’s Best label and asked the public to submit names, recipes, and pint designs.
- Magnum, Unilever’s ice-cream unit, said recommendations are reviewed by leadership and that it is not the right time to invest in developing the proposed product.
- Cohen has launched a “Free Ben & Jerry’s” campaign urging Unilever to sell the brand to socially aligned investors, while Unilever maintains the brand is not for sale.
- The Guardian reported the Palestine-themed flavor was approved by Ben & Jerry’s independent board and was first discussed about a year ago.
- The clash follows years of disputes over the brand’s activism, including Jerry Greenfield’s September resignation over alleged censorship and earlier conflicts related to sales in Israeli-occupied territories.