Jerry of Ben & Jerry’s exits company, accusing activism suppression

Ben & Jerry’s cofounder Jerry Greenfield stepped down after 47 years at the famed ice cream giant, accusing British multinational Unilever, which acquired it in 2000, of suppressing the brand’s activism.

Ben Cohen, the other cofounder, is still with the company but supported Greenfield’s move, saying the business is “more than just an ice cream company.”

In an open letter, Greenfield stated, “Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced and sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power,” and that he could no longer, in good conscience, remain the “brand ambassador.”

The cofounders have often clashed with Unilever, alleging it censors political and climate action-related expressions. The exit comes after their very public feud over the Gaza conflict.

In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s decided to stop selling pints in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Unilever countered the move by selling its Israeli operations to a local licensee.

Earlier this month, Greenfield and Cohen said the company was promised “independence to pursue our values” when Unilever bought the brand, but that promise has since been undermined.

In March, it accused the parent of illegally removing then-CEO, David Stever.

Unilever’s new ice cream arm, Magnum Ice Cream Company, thanked Greenfield for his role but rejected his claims, saying it has tried to engage both founders constructively.

Cohen has also pressed for Ben & Jerry’s to be spun off entirely, staging protests in London last week.