Marrakech – Ben & Jerry’s has launched a campaign to separate from its new parent company, Magnum, claiming it has been blocked from speaking out on Palestine, racial justice, and other causes central to its identity.
The politically progressive ice cream maker, founded in Vermont in 1978, was folded into Magnum this week as part of Unilever’s plan to spin off its ice cream division, which includes Ben & Jerry’s, Cornetto, and Wall’s, into a standalone public company in November.
They are known for being vocal about social justice, including during the Black Lives Matter Movement in the US.
But co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield say the brand’s social mission has been undermined.
In a video shared on X, Cohen accused Unilever of preventing the company from supporting student protests, speaking against what the “genocide in Gaza,” and advocating for racial justice.
“@MagnumIceCream is ripping the heart out of @benandjerrys – set us free!” he said, adding the hashtag #Freebenandjerrys and urged his followers to spread the message widely.
“Ben & Jerry’s has been trying to speak out to support student protestors. They wouldn’t let us do that. We’ve been trying to speak out against the genocide in Gaza. They wouldn’t let us do that. We’ve been trying to speak out against racial injustice. They silenced us on that,” Cohen stated.
Magnum CEO Peter ter Kulve, however, told Reuters on Wednesday that “Ben & Jerry’s is not for sale” and dismissed reports that Cohen and Greenfield had attempted to buy the brand back from Unilever.
In a letter to Magnum’s board, the founders argued that the commitments made to them and their customers are “being eroded” and urged the company to allow Ben & Jerry’s to be reacquired by socially aligned investors so it can pursue its progressive mission “without compromise.”
