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The co-founders behind the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has claimed how corporate owner Unilever blocked the launch for a new pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the business with Jerry Greenfield, revealed that he plans to personally create the controversial flavor within a personal collection highlighting causes the company was prevented from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Between Founders and Corporate Owner

The recent development deepens the continuing disagreement among the internationally recognized ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods corporation which has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have asserted how Unilever along with its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Sorbet as a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur revealed via social media how he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder commented from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem for support for the Palestinian people because of its colors, that match those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Historical Social Engagement and Current Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of its products in territories under Israeli control, leading to Unilever transferring the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thereby permitting continued sales within disputed territories.

The new dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally created several years back for endorsing ex- political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts plus Future Plans

The founder revealed that he plans to create additional ice cream flavors that address issues which Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by Unilever.

This development follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from the company in September, after many years of involvement, citing concerns that its independence had been undermined following Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to fight for its independence ensuring that it can fulfill the social mission, the values that established its foundation while upholding for decades," he told journalists.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding political advocacy
• Independent product development from company founders
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Continuing disagreements among corporate ownership versus social mission