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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
Jerry quits Ben & Jerry’s
By John Liu, CNN
Updated:
8:18 AM EDT, Wed September 17, 2025
Source: CNN
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield has quit the ice cream
brand he started in 1978 amid a dispute with its British owner
Unilever, according to a post by the company’s other co-founder, Ben
Cohen.
Cohen shared a statement from Greenfield that said quitting was “one
of the hardest and most painful decisions” he has made. He accused
Unilever of curtailing Ben & Jerry’s ability to speak out on social
and political causes – which became synonymous with the brand’s
identity.
“It’s with a broken heart that I’ve decided I can no longer, in
good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben &
Jerry’s,” he added.
Greenfield and Cohen sold their Vermont-based ice cream company to
Unilever in 2000 and, according to Greenfield, were guaranteed the
“independence to pursue (their) values.” But the brand’s
relationship with Unilever eroded over the years.
The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is from Unilever, said the company
has tried to work with the brand’s co-founders.
“We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both
co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben &
Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world,” a Magnum
spokesperson said in a statement.
Tensions between Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company boiled over in
2021, when Ben & Jerry’s in occupied Palestinian territories, saying
it’s inconsistent with the values of the socially conscious brand.
That triggered backlash from Israel and kicked off a battle with
Unilever over the brand’s independence.
Last year, Ben & Jerry’s filed a lawsuit against Unilever, accusing
the parent company of censoring its public statements to support
Palestinian refugees and resolutions to end military aid to Israel. In
January, the that Unilever “unilaterally barred” a post referencing
abortion, climate change and universal healthcare because it mentioned
President Donald Trump. In March, Ben & Jerry’s for ousting its
then-CEO David Stever over the brand’s public comments on progressive
issues.
Unilever has rejected all of Ben & Jerry’s claims.
“For more than twenty years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s
stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice, and human rights,
not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in
our world,” Greenfield wrote. “It’s profoundly disappointing to
come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our
sale to Unilever, is gone.”
Last week, Greenfield and Cohen, addressed to the Magnum Ice Cream
Company board, asking that Ben & Jerry’s be spun off to operate
independently, following several disputes over the years about its
views on several issues, including criticism of President Donald
Trump’s policies and Israel’s war in Gaza.
In response, Unilever said that Ben & Jerry’s is a “proud part”
of the Magnum Ice Cream Company and is not for sale.
Although neither co-founder has held any official role at the company
for the past couple decades, both continued to serve as brand
ambassadors. They helped to promote new flavors and store openings, and
they’d make occasional appearances at the company to train staff.
“Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared
humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has
been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power,”
Greenfield said in the statement. “And it’s happening at a time
when our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights,
voting rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community.”
Magnum thanked Greenfield for his partnership and his dedication to the
causes he championed.
“We will be forever grateful to Jerry for his role in co-founding
such an amazing ice cream company, turning his passion for delicious
ice cream and addressing social causes into a remarkable success
story,” the spokesperson told CNN. “We thank him for his service
and support over many decades and wish him well in his next chapter.”
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