Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brand, co-founded by Jerry Greenfield, has announced his resignation on September 17 due to recent disagreements with the parent company Unilever.
Greenfield, aged 74, stepped down from his position as the company’s “brand ambassador” after working for the company for 47 years. The reason for his resignation was cited as the brand’s social mission being silenced.
Ben & Jerry’s was founded in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, based in Burlington, Vermont, USA. The company is known for its creative ice cream flavors and involvement in social movements. In 2000, it was acquired by the British consumer goods giant Unilever due to financial needs and global expansion.
The company’s charter lists the “Triple Mission”: equal emphasis on product, economy, and social responsibility. Ben & Jerry’s has long supported environmental conservation, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, Palestinian rights, and other issues. In recent years, its strong political stance has led to public backlash.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced its withdrawal from the “West Bank market,” ceasing sales in the Israeli-occupied territories, leading to severe conflicts with the parent company, Israel, and certain political circles in the US, sparking political and legal controversies. For instance, Florida included Unilever in the “boycott list of Israeli companies.” The brand’s political statements intensified community divisions, becoming highly politicized, similar to the “Go Woke, Go Broke” trend experienced by other brands like Bud Light and Target.
In 2023, Ben & Jerry’s sparked criticism with their social media post on “Indigenous land,” stating the US exists on “stolen Indigenous land” and committing to “return land,” drawing public outcry. Figures like Jordan Peterson criticized the content as overly “politically correct,” leading to a boycott. Such remarks labeled the brand as “overly woke.”
Ben & Jerry’s released a TikTok video emphasizing that the brand not only sells ice cream but also uses its power to promote social change, including “dismantling white supremacy, combating the climate crisis, protecting democracy, supporting transgender rights, and abortion rights,” sparking extensive discussions on social media platforms.
Supporters view these as progressive issues, praising the brand for its courage in speaking out, while critics argue that these “social mission statements” are not solely driven by principles but are exploiting social movements to attract liberal young consumers. Some criticize it as not merely charity work but “packaging political stances as brand marketing.”
Jerry Greenfield, through an open letter reshared by Ben Cohen on X platform, expressed that he could not “continue working for a company that has been silenced” due to his conscience.
A spokesperson for Unilever and its subsidiary Magnum ice cream (including Ben & Jerry’s and Breyers brands) expressed disagreement with Greenfield’s views and attempted to engage in constructive dialogue with the co-founders to discuss how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s strong global standing based on values.
Unilever is currently divesting the Magnum ice cream division, including brands like Ben & Jerry’s.
Recent suggestions by Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, proposed selling the brand to independent investors at a valuation of $1.5 to $2.5 billion, a proposal rejected by the parent company Unilever. Cohen also urged that when Unilever plans to spin off and list the ice cream business in 2025, Ben & Jerry’s should be excluded to restore the brand’s independence.
Magnum ice cream, a unit of Unilever’s ice cream business, responded that they “disagree with Greenfield’s views,” emphasizing their willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with the co-founders to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s value positioning, and reiterated their commitment to the brand’s “Triple Mission” of product, economy, and social responsibility.
Unilever has yet to respond publicly to this event.