Scoop of dissent over Gaza in the Trump era: Why Ben & Jerry’s co-founder walked away from Unilever

Sweet beginnings

It all began in 1978, when childhood friends Greenfield and Ben Cohen scraped together some money and opened a scoop shop in a converted gas station in Burlington, Vermont. Armed with a $5 Penn State University correspondence course on ice cream-making, the duo churned out unique flavours.

Soon, America fell in love with Chunky Monkey, Americone Dream, and The Tonight Dough. Their secret sauce, however, was in the belief that ice cream could be a vehicle for peace, justice, and progressive politics. Their website states, “Guided by our Core Values, we seek in all we do… to advance human rights and dignity… In other words: we use ice cream to change the world.”

Today, Ben & Jerry’s can be found in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. In India, it’s available in some supermarkets and online delivery platforms.

Marriage of opposites

In 2000, British-Dutch giant Unilever bought Ben & Jerry’s for $326 million. The deal promised growth for the brand and a socially responsible jewel in Unilever’s crown. Crucially, Unilever pledged that Ben & Jerry’s would retain autonomy over its social mission.

For years, the uneasy marriage worked. While Unilever sold soaps, Ben & Jerry’s weighed in on climate change and immigration, making it a rarity in the corporate world.

But by 2021, tensions surfaced. Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop selling in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, citing human rights concerns. A year later, Unilever bypassed it by selling Israeli rights to a local distributor. For Cohen and Greenfield, this was a betrayal.

Greenfield bows out

In a letter on Tuesday, Greenfield said he could not continue in his position “in good conscience”. He wrote, “It’s profoundly disappointing to conclude that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”

His exit coincides with Unilever’s restructuring, which includes spinning off its entire ice cream division — a $20 billion portfolio featuring Magnum, Wall’s and Ben & Jerry’s — into a new entity called The Magnum Ice Cream Company later this year.

Greenfield also expressed anguish over US politics, saying the current administration was “attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community.”

“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. It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose,” he said.

Clash of cultures

Greenfield’s frustration runs deeper than one geopolitical issue. The co-founders allege that Unilever even removed Ben & Jerry’s CEO in retaliation for political activism. In November last year, the ice cream maker sued its parent in federal court, accusing it of blocking social media posts on minimum wage, healthcare, and climate change.

Unilever insisted that it respected the process that was agreed to with Ben & Jerry’s board and remained focused on restructuring.

The rift underscores a larger question: can a mission-driven brand survive inside a corporate behemoth? In 2000, Cohen and Greenfield thought they had secured permanent independence on social issues, but today, corporations are retreating from activism. Diversity pledges are being shelved, while CEOs dodge questions on policy.

Against this backdrop, Ben & Jerry’s remains a pint-sized anomaly, limited in its aspirations in the face of a multinational owner.

Push for freedom

Greenfield and Cohen haven’t given up. In a letter to Magnum’s incoming board, the duo have argued it should not be tied to a corporation unwilling to champion its mission, reports say.

Spinning Ben & Jerry’s off into independence would require shareholder approval and Unilever’s willingness to part with one of its most profitable, if politically troublesome, brands.

As Unilever prepares to separate its ice cream business, Ben & Jerry’s stands at a crossroads. More than a corporate spat, their story is about whether businesses can serve both profit and principle. With Greenfield’s exit, it remains to be seen if Ben & Jerry’s will continue to scoop out justice, or melt away in Unilever’s corporate freezer.