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The co-founders behind the famous ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has stated that corporate owner Unilever blocked the introduction for an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who established the company with his partner, announced how he will personally create the controversial flavor as part of an individual series highlighting issues the company was barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Between Founders versus Parent Company

This latest development intensifies the continuing disagreement among the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant which has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed that Unilever along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Flavor becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur revealed via social media that he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions for the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen stated from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem for solidarity with the Palestinian people due to its colors, which closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Activism plus Recent Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company selling their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting ongoing distribution within disputed territories.

The new product line is being developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand that was first created several years back to support former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes and Future Plans

The founder stated that he plans to develop other ice cream flavors that address issues which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

This development follows partner Mr. Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September, after decades with the organization, mentioning concerns that the company's autonomy had been compromised following Unilever's decision to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Mr. Cohen commented how "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart compels me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can fulfill its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on while upholding for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Corporate owner limitations on social activism
• Personal product development by company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
• Continuing disagreements among corporate ownership and social mission