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The original creators of the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has stated how parent company Unilever stopped the launch of an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who established the company with Jerry Greenfield, revealed how he will personally create the controversial product as part of an individual collection highlighting issues the company has been barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Between Founders versus Corporate Owner

This latest announcement deepens the continuing conflict between the world-famous dessert company and Unilever, the British packaged goods giant which has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

Both founders have asserted that Unilever along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Sorbet as an Emblem of Solidarity

The entrepreneur revealed via an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for the product's name and additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has become an emblem for support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, which match the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Social Engagement and Recent Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, resulting in Unilever selling their Israel business over to a local licensee, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series is being developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally established in 2016 to support ex- political contender Senator Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes and Upcoming Intentions

Mr. Cohen indicated how he will develop other frozen dessert varieties focusing on concerns that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by Unilever.

This development follows co-founder Mr. Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September, following decades of involvement, citing worries regarding how its independence had been compromised following corporate moves to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen commented how “My partner has a really big heart and this conflict with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that it can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Parent company restrictions on social activism
• Independent product development from original creators
• Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
• Ongoing tensions between parent company versus social mission