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One of the original creators of the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has stated how parent company Unilever blocked the introduction for a new Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, that established the company with his partner, announced that he plans to independently develop the controversial product as part of an individual series showcasing causes the company was barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Creators and Parent Company

The recent development deepens the continuing tension between the internationally recognized dessert company with its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain how Unilever along with its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented their company against "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Flavor as a Symbol for Support

Mr. Cohen announced through an Instagram video how he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for naming options and additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol for support for Palestinians because of its colors, that match those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Current Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company selling the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thus allowing ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line is being created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company which originally established in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts plus Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen stated that he plans to develop other ice cream flavors that address concerns which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from addressing publicly due to Unilever.

The announcement follows partner Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at the company in September, after many years of involvement, citing concerns that the company's autonomy had been compromised after Unilever's decision to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise the social mission, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he told journalists.

• Parent company limitations on political advocacy
• Independent product development by original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Continuing disagreements among corporate ownership versus ethical values