LONDON: A Ben & Jerry’s co-founder has said plans for the ice cream brand to produce a special flavor to support the Palestinian people have been blocked by its owner.
Ben Cohen accused Unilever of a “corporate attack on free speech” after its ice cream wing Magnum did not pursue the move despite it being approved by Ben & Jerry’s independent board.
Cohen told The Guardian that “companies and anyone who believes in justice, freedom and peace” need to stand up, and that it is “the moment when it is most needed for Ben & Jerry’s to be able to raise its voice.”
He said a group of investors who prioritize social causes have been sounded out to buy Ben & Jerry’s from Unilever, after he started a “Free Ben & Jerry’s” campaign to force the group to sell up.
Ben & Jerry’s, founded in the US state of Vermont in 1978 with an ambition to “advance human rights and dignity,” has a history of social activism.
