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One of the co-founders behind the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has stated how parent company Unilever prevented the launch for an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that established the business with Jerry Greenfield, disclosed that he plans to independently develop this new flavor within an individual series highlighting issues the company has been barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Creators and Parent Company

This latest development deepens the continuing tension among the internationally recognized dessert company with its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods giant that has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

Both founders have claimed that Unilever along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked their company from "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Flavor as a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur stated via social media how he's developing a new watermelon-based sorbet, asking for public suggestions regarding naming options plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has become an emblem for support for Palestinians because of its coloration, which closely resemble those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Recent Developments

In 2021, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in areas under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales in disputed territories.

This upcoming product line is being created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand that originally created in 2016 to support ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Management Changes and Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen revealed how he plans to create additional ice cream flavors focusing on issues which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from addressing publicly by corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at the company in September, after many years of involvement, citing worries that its independence was undermined after Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen stated how "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to keep working inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can achieve the social mission, the principles which established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Corporate owner restrictions on political advocacy
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Continuing tensions among corporate ownership and social mission