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One of the co-founders of the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has claimed that parent company the multinational conglomerate blocked the introduction for a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the business alongside Jerry Greenfield, announced that he will independently develop this new product within an individual collection highlighting causes the company was prevented from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Creators and Parent Company

The recent announcement deepens the ongoing disagreement among the world-famous ice cream maker and its corporate parent, the UK-based packaged goods giant that acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders have claimed how the parent company and their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol of Support

The entrepreneur revealed through social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions regarding naming options and additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” the founder stated in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians and calls for addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem of solidarity with Palestinians due to its coloration, which match those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Recent Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, resulting in Unilever transferring their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in disputed territories.

The new product line is being developed under Ben's Best, the activist dessert company which originally created in 2016 for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts plus Upcoming Plans

The founder revealed how he plans to create additional ice cream flavors focusing on concerns that Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years with the organization, citing worries regarding how the company's autonomy was compromised following Unilever's decision to curb its social activism.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked how “My partner has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart compels me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to journalists.

• Corporate owner limitations regarding political advocacy
• Independent product development from original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Continuing tensions between corporate ownership and ethical values