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One of the co-founders behind the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has claimed that parent company Unilever blocked the launch of an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who established the business alongside his partner, revealed how he plans to personally create the controversial flavor within a personal collection showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Between Founders versus Parent Company

This latest announcement intensifies the ongoing disagreement among the world-famous dessert company and Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods giant which has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders have asserted how Unilever along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Flavor as a Symbol of Support

Mr. Cohen stated via an Instagram video how he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder declared from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol of support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, that mirror those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Recent Developments

In 2021, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution in disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series is being created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company which was first established several years back to support ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes and Upcoming Intentions

The founder revealed how he will create additional frozen dessert varieties that address concerns that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

This development follows partner Mr. Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years with the organization, citing concerns regarding how its independence had been compromised following Unilever's decision to restrict its social activism.

At that time, Ben Cohen stated how “My partner has a really big heart and this conflict with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence ensuring that it can fulfill the social mission, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding political advocacy
• Independent product development by company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Continuing disagreements among parent company versus social mission