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One of the original creators behind the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has stated how parent company Unilever blocked the launch of an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he will personally create this new flavor within an individual series highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's was prevented from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Creators and Parent Company

The recent announcement deepens the continuing tension among the world-famous ice cream maker with Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant which acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

Both founders have claimed how the parent company and their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Flavor becoming an Emblem for Solidarity

The entrepreneur announced via social media that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, requesting consumer ideas regarding the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder declared in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has emerged as an emblem of support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, which mirror the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Current Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in territories under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company selling their Israel business over to a local licensee, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand that was first created in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts plus Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen stated that he plans to create other frozen dessert varieties focusing on concerns which the company was silenced from addressing publicly due to Unilever.

The announcement comes after partner Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at the company recently, following many years with the organization, mentioning concerns that the company's autonomy was compromised following corporate moves to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Mr. Cohen commented that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company restrictions on social activism
• Personal flavor creation from company founders
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements between corporate ownership and social mission