Jerry quits Ben & Jerry’s

By John Liu, CNN

(CNN) — Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield has quit the ice cream brand he started in 1978 amid a dispute with its British owner Unilever, according a post by the company’s other co-founder, Ben Cohen.

Cohen shared a statement from Greenfield that said quitting was “one of the hardest and most painful decisions” he has made. He accused Unilever of curtailing Ben & Jerry’s ability to speak out on social and political causes – which became synonymous with the brand’s identity.

“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,” he added.

Greenfield and Cohen sold their Vermont-based ice cream company to Unilever in 2000 and, according to Greenfield, were guaranteed the “independence to pursue (their) values.” But the brand’s relationship with Unilever eroded over the years.

The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is being spun off from Unilever, said the company has tried to work with the brand’s co-founders.

“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 Magnum spokesperson said in a statement.

Tensions between Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company boiled over in 2021, when Ben & Jerry’s ended its sales in occupied Palestinian territories, saying it’s inconsistent with the values of the socially conscious brand. That triggered backlash from Israel and kicked off a battle with Unilever over the brand’s independence.

Last year, Ben & Jerry’s filed a lawsuit against Unilever, accusing the parent company of censoring its public statements to support Palestinian refugees and resolutions to end military aid to Israel. In January, the ice cream company alleged that Unilever “unilaterally barred” a post referencing abortion, climate change and universal healthcare because it mentioned President Donald Trump. In March, Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever of breaching its merger agreement for ousting its then-CEO David Stever over the brand’s public comments on progressive issues.

Unilever has rejected all of Ben & Jerry’s claims.

“For more than twenty 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. “It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”

Last week, Greenfield and Cohen, wrote an open letter addressed to the Magnum Ice Cream Company board, asking that Ben & Jerry’s be spun off to operate independently, following several disputes over the years about its views on several issues, including criticism of President Donald Trump’s policies and Israel’s war in Gaza.

In response, Unilever said that Ben & Jerry’s is a “proud part” of the Magnum Ice Cream Company and is not for sale.

Although neither co-founder has held any official role at the company for the past couple decades, both continued to serve as brand ambassadors. They helped to promote new flavors and store openings, and they’d make occasional appearances at the company to train staff.

“Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power,” Greenfield said in the statement. “And it’s happening at a time when our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community.”

Magnum thanked Greenfield for his partnership and his dedication to the causes he championed.

“We will 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 spokesperson told CNN. “We thank him for his service and support over many decades and wish him well in his next chapter.”

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

CNN’s Jordan Valinsky contributed reporting.