Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield Resigns Amid Dispute with Unilever

Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield Resigns Amid Dispute with Unilever

Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of iconic ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, announced his resignation after nearly five decades with the company. The departure stems from ongoing disagreements with parent company Unilever over the brand’s ability to engage in social activism.

Greenfield shared his decision in an open letter published by co-founder Ben Cohen and posted on X, describing it as “painful” and expressing disillusionment with Unilever’s interference. He stated that the multinational conglomerate has effectively silenced Ben & Jerry’s voice on critical global issues, including the conflict in Gaza.

Since Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million, the Vermont-based company was expected to maintain operational independence, particularly in its social mission. However, tensions have grown since 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s announced it would cease sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank as a response to the conflict in Gaza, a move that Unilever reportedly opposed.

Greenfield lamented, “It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.” His exit highlights a broader clash between corporate control and activist branding.

Unilever is currently preparing to spin off its ice cream division into a new entity named the Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is slated to go public in November. A spokesperson for Unilever contested Greenfield’s claims, stating that the company had attempted to engage both co-founders in dialogue to reinforce Ben & Jerry’s “powerful values-based position.” The spokesperson reaffirmed Unilever’s commitment to preserving Ben & Jerry’s “unique three-part mission – product, economic and social,” emphasizing the brand’s continued role within the Magnum Ice Cream Company.