Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the iconic US-based ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, has officially stepped down from the company, citing a collapse in its independence under the ownership of Unilever.
His departure comes amid an intensifying dispute between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever over the brand’s stance on the Gaza conflict and broader issues concerning its longstanding social mission.
In an open letter published on 16 September, 2025, and shared on social media platform X by co-founder Ben Cohen, Greenfield stated that he could no longer “in good conscience” remain with a company that had been “silenced” by its parent.
Ben & Jerry’s, known for its outspoken advocacy on social justice issues, has been at odds with Unilever since 2021. That year, the company announced it would stop selling its products in Israeli-occupied West Bank territories, drawing sharp backlash and legal scrutiny.
Since then, the rift has widened significantly.
The ice cream brand has accused Unilever of undermining its independence, despite a unique merger agreement designed to protect its social activism when Unilever acquired the company in 2000.
“That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever,” Greenfield wrote.
He added that the company’s recent inability to speak freely on critical social issues—including referring to the ongoing Gaza conflict as “genocide”—represented a fundamental betrayal of its founding values.
Greenfield’s decision to leave follows several high-profile public statements from both him and Cohen, criticising Unilever’s direction for the brand.
In the letter, Greenfield clarified that he was stepping down from his role as a brand ambassador, a symbolic but visible position he had continued to hold after the sale.
A spokesperson for Magnum Ice Cream Company—Unilever’s ice cream division—acknowledged Greenfield’s departure but disagreed with his characterisation of the situation.
The company said it had made efforts to engage both Greenfield and Cohen “in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world”.
Unilever did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.
Greenfield’s exit also comes as Ben & Jerry’s has pushed to spin itself off from Unilever altogether.
This follows plans announced earlier this year by Unilever to publicly list its Magnum Ice Cream business in November, a move that would further restructure its ice cream portfolio.
Last week, Cohen made a renewed call to “free Ben & Jerry’s”, urging Unilever to allow the company to continue its operations as a socially conscious brand.
He revealed that efforts had been made to engineer a buyout at fair market value, estimated between US$1.5 billion and US$2.5 billion, but the proposal was ultimately rejected.
Peter ter Kulve, recently appointed CEO of Magnum, dismissed the suggestion and reaffirmed the group’s current strategy.
Ben & Jerry’s has long been celebrated for its blend of business and activism.
Founded in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Vermont by Cohen and Greenfield, the brand built its identity around progressive values, often engaging in bold political commentary through its products and public campaigns.
After its 2000 acquisition by Unilever, the merger agreement included special provisions to allow Ben & Jerry’s to continue its social advocacy independently.
However, the founders and some former executives have claimed that these provisions have been increasingly disregarded in recent years, particularly in the wake of political controversies surrounding Israel and Palestine.
Greenfield’s resignation marks a symbolic rupture in the brand’s history, and may deepen investor scrutiny ahead of Unilever’s November listing.
It remains unclear what impact, if any, the founders’ criticism and resignation will have on the broader direction of Ben & Jerry’s or on Unilever’s corporate governance strategies.
A United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded on 16 September that Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza.
The report cited mass killings, infliction of severe harm, destruction of essential infrastructure, and restrictions on aid as evidence of systematic intent.
The commission’s chair, Navi Pillay, stated that Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had incited such acts. Israel dismissed the findings as politically driven and without legal basis.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry on Tuesday, at least 64,964 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict escalated in October 2023. The ministry also reported that 428 people, including 146 children, have died from hunger amid ongoing aid restrictions.
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