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One of the co-founders of the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has announced that corporate owner Unilever stopped the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, who co-founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, disclosed how he will independently develop the controversial flavor within an individual series highlighting issues the company was prevented from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Founders versus Corporate Owner

The recent development deepens the continuing disagreement between the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant which has owned Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders maintain that the parent company along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Flavor becoming a Symbol of Solidarity

The entrepreneur revealed through an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name and additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians and calls for addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has become a symbol for solidarity with Palestinians due to its colors, which match those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Recent Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in areas under Israeli control, leading to Unilever selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within the occupied West Bank.

The new product line is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company that was first established several years back for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Changes and Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen revealed how he plans to create additional frozen dessert varieties that address concerns that the company was silenced from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

This development comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at Ben & Jerry's recently, following many years of involvement, mentioning concerns that the company's autonomy was compromised following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked that “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for its independence so that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company limitations on political advocacy
• Personal product development from company founders
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements between parent company and ethical values