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One of the original creators behind the famous ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has stated how corporate owner Unilever stopped the launch of a new pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that established the business with his partner, disclosed how he plans to personally create the controversial flavor as part of an individual series highlighting issues the company has been prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Founders and Parent Company

The recent development deepens the continuing disagreement between the world-famous dessert company with Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods corporation which acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

Both founders maintain how Unilever along with its ice cream arm the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Flavor becoming an Emblem for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen revealed through an Instagram video how he's developing a new watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for naming options plus additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become a symbol for support for Palestinians due to its coloration, which match the colors in Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Activism and Current Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, resulting in Unilever selling their Israel business to a local licensee, thus allowing ongoing distribution within the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company that originally established in 2016 for endorsing former political contender Bernie Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes plus Upcoming Plans

Mr. Cohen revealed that he plans to create other ice cream flavors that address concerns that the company was silenced from addressing publicly due to corporate restrictions.

This development follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, after decades with the organization, mentioning concerns regarding how its independence was undermined after Unilever's decision to curb its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked how “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience leads me to continue to work within the organization to fight for its independence so that it can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on while upholding for decades," he told journalists.

• Corporate owner limitations regarding social activism
• Independent product development from company founders
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Ongoing tensions among corporate ownership versus social mission