...
By Hugh Cameron and Shane Croucher
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Jerry Greenfield has announced that he is quitting Ben & Jerry's, the ice cream company he co-founded with Ben Cohen, accusing its parent conglomerate, Unilever, of breaking promises guaranteeing the brand's independence.
"It's with a broken heart that I've decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry's," Greenfield said in a statement that Cohen shared on social media.
"I am resigning from the company Ben and I started back in 1978. This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I've ever made," the statement continued.
Read More
Allison Stransky Cares, and Now the World of Tech Does, Too4 min read
Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Arrested During RFK Jr. Testimony4 min read
What’s Next for the Circular Economy After Plastics Treaty Meltdown6 min read
Why It Matters
While the eponymous co-founders no longer oversee the company's day-to-day business operations, they retain an official role and formal voice through its independent board and continue to be viewed as the public face of the iconic ice cream brand. Greenfield's departure will therefore be considered a significant moment for Ben & Jerry's, while also serving as a symbol of the clash between corporate governance and brand activism.
What To Know
The basis of his decision, Greenfield said, was a long-running dispute with Unilever over the company's ability to pursue social justice and activist causes that were important to the founders.
Greenfield said Unilever had guaranteed the independence of Ben & Jerry's when it purchased the company in 2000.
"For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry's stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice, and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world," Greenfield wrote. "That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company's governance structure in perpetuity."
He added, "It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone."
When approached for comment, Unilever told Newsweek that it would be "forever grateful to Jerry for his role in co-founding such an amazing ice cream company, turning his passion for delicious ice cream and addressing social causes into a remarkable success story."
The company added, "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."
...
Ben & Jerry's has become known for more than its ice cream, garnering publicity for championing a number of social causes relating to climate change, racial justice and immigration.
However, disputes with its parent company over its political activities came to a head in 2021, when Ben & Jerry's chose to stop selling its products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Unilever blocked the move, prompting Ben & Jerry's to file a lawsuit against the company in 2022. The dispute was later settled, though the terms of the agreement were not publicly disclosed.
Ben & Jerry's filed another lawsuit in 2024 accusing Unilever of attempting to silence its support for Palestinian refugees.
In March, the company accused Unilever of sacking CEO David Stever for refusing to "oversee the dismantling" of Ben & Jerry's progressive values.
More recently, the co-founders called for the company to be separated from Unilever and excluded from its plans to float the ice cream division on the stock market. The division is being spun off into a separate, publicly listed entity called the Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC), which also houses brands such as Magnum and Cornetto.
"We won't be silent any more. Authenticity has always been at the very heart of what we do, and stripping this away risks destroying the very value of Ben & Jerry's," Cohen and Greenfield wrote in an open letter to investors and the board, whom they urged "to rethink the inclusion of Ben & Jerry's in Magnum's future makeup and establish a Free Ben & Jerry's."
In the letter Cohen shared on Wednesday, Greenfield added that the loss of the company's independence was especially concerning "at a time when our country's current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community."
What People Are Saying
Jerry Greenfield wrote in the letter posted on X by Ben Cohen: "Love, equity, justice. They're part of who Ben and I are, and they've always been the true foundation of Ben & Jerry's. From the very beginning, Ben and I believed that our values and the pursuit of justice were more important than the company itself. If the company couldn't stand up for the things we believed, then it wasn't worth being a company at all."
He added: "If I can't carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward outside, with all the love and conviction I can."
Co-founder Ben Cohen wrote on X: "After 47 years, Jerry has made the difficult decision to step down from the company we built together. I'm sharing his words as he resigns from Ben & Jerry's. His legacy deserves to be true to our values, not silenced by @MagnumGlobal #FreeBenAndJerrys."
Ben & Jerry's told Newsweek via email: "We're incredibly grateful for all that Jerry has brought to Ben & Jerry's, and while we're sad to see him go, we're proud of the legacy he leaves behind. Jerry's deep belief in our three-part mission—product, economic, and social—has shaped every corner of our business. He inspired all of us at Ben & Jerry's around the globe, as well as countless others including fans and businesses.
"We know this is a challenging time in our history. Utilizing all Jerry has taught us - along with his business partner, Ben—we will continue to carry his legacy forward. Ben & Jerry's is and will continue to be values-led, mission driven, and committed to using the power of our business for progressive change in the world."
Unilever told Newsweek: "We remain committed to Ben & Jerry's unique three-part mission—product, economic and social—and remain focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand. Ben & Jerry's is a proud and thriving part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company and we look forward to further building on its success."
What Happens Next
TMICC plans to make its stock market debut in November, with a primary listing in Amsterdam and secondary listings in London and New York.
Update 09/19/25 8:02 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Ben & Jerry's
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines