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One of the original creators of the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has claimed that parent company Unilever blocked the launch of a new pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that established the business with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he will personally create the controversial product as part of an individual collection highlighting issues the company has been barred from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Between Founders versus Corporate Owner

The recent announcement intensifies the continuing tension between the internationally recognized dessert company with Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant that acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders have asserted how the parent company along with its ice cream arm the Magnum brand improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Flavor as an Emblem for Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated via social media that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name plus additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as an emblem for support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, which mirror those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Recent Developments

In 2021, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in territories under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company transferring their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution within disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series will be developed under Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand which was first created several years back for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Shifts plus Upcoming Intentions

The founder stated that he plans to develop other frozen dessert varieties that address concerns that Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

This development comes after partner Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years of involvement, citing concerns that its independence was compromised after corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen commented that “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values that established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he told journalists.

• Parent company limitations on social activism
• Independent flavor creation by original creators
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Continuing disagreements among parent company versus ethical values