Co-founder of Ben & Jerry's steps down due to Gaza conflict, accusing parent company Unilever of inaction in the face of genocide
In a dramatic turn of events, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the renowned ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, has announced his departure from the company. This decision comes amidst a deepening rift between Ben & Jerry's and its parent company, Unilever, over the Gaza conflict.
Greenfield's resignation follows a series of disagreements between the two parties. In 2021, Ben & Jerry's announced it would stop sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a decision that Unilever did not support. This move has further escalated the tension between the two companies.
Greenfield, who described the Gaza conflict as "genocide" in an open letter, could no longer continue working for a company that he felt had been "silenced" by Unilever. He stated that the company has lost its independence since Unilever curtailed its social activism, a key aspect of Ben & Jerry's identity since its founding in 1978.
Unilever, however, maintains that the merger agreement between Ben & Jerry's and the company was intended to safeguard the brand's social mission. The new CEO of Magnum Ice Cream, Peter ter Kulve, has expressed a desire to engage both Ben & Jerry's co-founders in a constructive conversation.
Meanwhile, Ben & Jerry's has sued its parent company over alleged efforts to silence it. The company has been calling for its own spin-off ahead of a planned listing of Magnum Ice Cream in November. This listing was initially proposed by former CEO Avi Cohen, who attempted to engineer a sale of Ben & Jerry's to investors at a fair market value between US$1.5 billion and US$2.5 billion, but the proposal was rejected.
Cohen has since demanded to "free Ben & Jerry's" to protect its social values, a request that has been rebuffed by the new Magnum CEO. Greenfield, who was also a brand ambassador for Magnum Ice Cream Company, is no longer associated with the brand.
Unilever and Ben & Jerry's have clashed since the announcement of the sales halt in the West Bank. Magnum Ice Cream Company disagrees with Greenfield's perspective on the Gaza conflict. Despite the ongoing dispute, Unilever has yet to comment on Greenfield's departure.
A planned listing of Magnum Ice Cream is scheduled for November. It remains to be seen how this development will impact the future of both Ben & Jerry's and Magnum Ice Cream Company.
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