Unilever's control over Ben & Jerry's causes co-founder's departure, complaining of decreased independence.
In a surprising turn of events, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the iconic ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, has announced his resignation. The decision comes amidst an ongoing conflict between Ben & Jerry's and its parent company, Unilever.
The dispute began last year when Ben & Jerry's announced it would stop sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This decision sparked a series of conflicts between the two companies, which have yet to be fully resolved.
Despite a unique merger agreement intended to safeguard the brand's social mission, Jerry Greenfield felt compelled to resign, citing the loss of Ben & Jerry's independence since being acquired by Unilever. In an open letter, Greenfield described the Gaza conflict as "genocide."
Last week, Ben & Jerry's revealed it had proposed a sale to investors at a fair market value between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion. However, the proposal was rejected amidst the tensions with Unilever. Since then, Ben & Jerry's has taken legal action against Unilever, alleging efforts to silence the company.
Unilever, through its subsidiary Magnum Ice Cream, has expressed disagreement with Greenfield's perspective and has sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation. However, Unilever has not responded to a request for comment from Reuters regarding Greenfield's resignation and the ongoing conflicts between the companies.
Ben Cohen, Greenfield's partner, announced the news on social media platform X. As of now, there is no information available about the name of the group Ben & Jerry's would have bought if negotiations with Unilever had been successful.
Greenfield's resignation marks a significant development in the ongoing saga between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever. It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the future of the beloved ice cream brand.
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