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yesterday

Jerry Greenfield Quits Ben & Jerry’s, Saying Unilever Stripped the Brand’s Independence

The resignation follows a failed bid to separate the company ahead of Unilever’s planned ice-cream spin-off.

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, second right, and Ben Cohen, centre, in front of the White House protesting climate change in 2019
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.
Jerry Greenfield, left, and Bennett Cohen, the founders of Ben and Jerry Homemade Inc., pose in front of their "Cowmobile" in Burlington, Vt., on June 15, 1987.

Overview

  • Greenfield said he could no longer remain at the company after 47 years, alleging Ben & Jerry’s has been “silenced” despite the 2000 merger terms protecting its social mission.
  • The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is being carved out of Unilever for a public listing, said it disagrees with Greenfield’s view and that Ben & Jerry’s is not for sale.
  • Co-founder Ben Cohen recently disclosed an effort to sell Ben & Jerry’s to outside investors for $1.5–$2.5 billion, a proposal he said was rejected.
  • Ben & Jerry’s has active disputes with Unilever, including a lawsuit alleging the parent tried to censor statements on issues such as support for Palestinian refugees and other political posts.
  • Tensions trace back to the brand’s 2021 decision to halt sales in Israeli-occupied West Bank, followed by further friction over statements on the war in Gaza and governance of the brand’s social mission.