Ben & Jerry's has claimed its parent company Unilever fired their CEO over 'political activism,' including criticisms of US president Donald Trump.
In May 2023, the ice cream company - famed for its flavors including Phish Food and Half Baked - promoted David Stever from chief marketing officer to CEO.
Stever had joined the business in 1988, starting out as a tour guide at its Waterbury factory in Vermont.
But he was fired on March 3 after almost 37 years at the company, as per a court documents filed in New York by Ben & Jerry's.
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UK-based Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry's in 2000 and as part of the merger deal, an independent board was set up to protect the ice cream brand’s mission and strong stance on social issues.
However, court filings from Ben & Jerry's now claim 'Unilever informed the independent board that they were removing and replacing Mr Stever as Ben & Jerry’s CEO' on March 3.
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It also claims Unilever 'repeatedly threatened the company's personnel, including Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever’s efforts to silence the social mission.'
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Ben & Jerry’s previously accused their parent company of demanding that they quit publicly criticizing Donald Trump.
Back in January, they said Unilever had 'unilaterally barred' it from making a post on abortion, climate change and universal healthcare because it mentioned the US President.
It says it was also prevented from publishing a post that marked commemorating Black History Month.
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The Telegraph reports that Ben & Jerry’s claimed Peter ter Kulve, Unilever’s group president for ice cream, barred them from publishing a post on Inauguration Day 'because it specifically mentioned Donald Trump.'
It comes as Trump cracked down on what he called 'radical and wasteful' diversity, equality and inclusion programmes as he began his second term of presidency.
Elsewhere, the ice cream makers also claim Unilever blocked them from posting about Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian refugee who took part in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University last year, resulting in his green card being revoked.
The post would have advocated for his release, since Khalil remains in ICE custody, reports the New York Post.
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Unilever supposedly 'provided no explanation for the censorship,' the court document claims.
The two companies have been butting heads for a while, with particular tensions over Ben & Jerry’s move to halt sales in the West Bank in 2021.
Unilever blocked the attempts but was then sued by Ben & Jerry’s.
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A Unilever spokesperson told UNILAD: "In line with the terms of the acquisition agreement, decisions on the appointment, compensation and removal of the Ben & Jerry's CEO will be made by Unilever after good faith consultation and discussion with the B&J's Independent Board.
"Regrettably, despite repeated attempts to engage the Board and follow the correct process, we are disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public.
"We hope that the B&J Independent Board will engage as per the original, agreed process."
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, Food and Drink, Business
Ellie Kemp