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One of the original creators behind the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has stated how corporate owner Unilever stopped the launch of a new pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that established the company alongside his partner, disclosed that he plans to personally create this new flavor as part of an individual series showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's has been barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

This latest development intensifies the ongoing disagreement between the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the British consumer goods giant that acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain that the parent company and their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked their company from "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Flavor becoming an Emblem for Support

Mr. Cohen revealed via an Instagram video that he is creating a new watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen declared from a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has become a symbol for solidarity with Palestinians due to its coloration, which mirror the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Activism plus Current Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company selling their Israel business to a local licensee, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series will be developed under Ben's Best, the activist dessert company which originally created several years back for endorsing ex- political contender Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes and Upcoming Plans

The founder stated that he plans to create other ice cream flavors that address issues that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.

This development follows partner Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at Ben & Jerry's recently, following many years of involvement, citing concerns that its independence was undermined following corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen stated how "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience compels me to keep working inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that it can actualise the social mission, the principles which established its foundation and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding social activism
• Personal product development from company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Continuing tensions between corporate ownership versus social mission