Ben & Jerry’s co-founder quits and accuses distribution company of ‘silencing’ brand's social activism

Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry's co-founder, has sensationally quit.

Greenfield and Ben Cohen founded the well-loved ice cream brand in 1978 and have gone on to build a global empire.

From Bohemian Raspberry to Caramel Chew Chew, Ben & Jerry's has created a series of unique flavors that are hugely popular.

While the business has only gone from strength to strength, Greenfield has announced that he's no longer part of Ben & Jerry's in a lengthy statement shared to Twitter by Cohen on his behalf.

Greenfield wrote he could 'no longer in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s'.

He said it was 'one of the hardest and most painful decisions I’ve ever made' but alleged that the group had been 'silenced' despite an original merger agreement that guaranteed the firm’s 'independence to pursue our values'.

Unilever acquired the business in 2000 but has been at loggerheads with Ben & Jerry’s founders regularly in recent years, particularly in relation to political and social issues.

The founders have argued that the brand was founded with a mission for social good and reached an agreement with Unilever to guarantee Ben & Jerry’s autonomy, including an independent board.

Disputes between the founders and Unilever included a high-profile incident in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s decided not to sell ice cream in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

However, Unilever responded by selling the brand in the region to its Israeli licensee.

Ben & Jerry’s also claimed last year that Unilever had urged the brand to stop public criticism of Donald Trump.

Ben & Jerry’s is being split out from Unilever as part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is being lined up for a stock market float.

Last week, Cohen and Greenfield demanded that the brand was 'released' from its ice cream parent business and allowed to become independent again.

Magnum stressed at the time that Ben & Jerry’s was 'not for sale' and will remain part of the group.

In his resignation statement, Greenfield continued to say: "It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone."

He added: "It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world.

"Coming to the conclusion that this is no longer possible at Ben & Jerry’s means I can no longer remain part of Ben & Jerry’s."

Addressing Greenfield's resignation, a spokesperson for The Magnum Ice Cream Company said: "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."

They added: "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.

"We thank him for his service and support over many decades and wish him well in his next chapter."