Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Quits, Accuses Parent Company of Trashing Social Mission in Fear' of Those in Power'

"(Jose F. Moreno/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield quit the ice cream brand he built Tuesday after 47 years, declaring he can no longer in good conscience remain in the role as he accused parent firm Unilever of trashing the company's social mission in fear of those in power. Greenfield's resignation marks the most dramatic rupture yet in Ben & Jerry's long feud with Unilever, which acquired the company in 2000 under a deal that promised it the freedom to continue to campaign on social justice issues."

"What allowed the company to be more than just an ice cream company was the independence to pursue our values, Greenfield wrote in his parting letter posted to X. That independence, he added, is gone. Greenfield accused Unilever of sidelining the brand for fear of upsetting those in power at a time when, he said, America's government is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women and the LGBTQ community."

"We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry's powerful values-based position in the world, a Unilever spokesman said."

Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's after 47 years, saying he can no longer in good conscience remain because Unilever has trashed the company's social mission and removed its independence. The 2000 acquisition had promised freedom to campaign on social justice, which Greenfield says is gone as Unilever sidelines the brand to avoid upsetting those in power while government attacks civil rights, voting rights, and rights of immigrants, women and the LGBTQ community. Ben & Jerry's activism includes protests against Arctic drilling, support for marriage equality and a 2024 legal battle alleging suppression of solidarity with Palestinians. Ben Cohen backed Greenfield; Unilever said it disagrees and seeks constructive engagement while spinning off its ice cream division into the Magnum Ice Cream Company.

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