Ben & Jerry’s cofounder leaves firm amid dispute with Unilever over Gaza

Jerry Greenfield says helium could nary longer ‘in bully conscience’ proceed moving for a institution that had been ‘silenced’.

Ben & Jerry’s cofounder Jerry Greenfield has retired aft astir 50 years, accusing the United Kingdom-based genitor institution Unilever of silencing the crystal pick brand’s societal mission, peculiarly regarding Israel’s genocidal warfare connected Gaza, according to his concern spouse Ben Cohen.

In an unfastened missive addressing the Ben & Jerry assemblage that was shared by Cohen connected societal media level X connected Wednesday, Greenfield called it 1 of the “hardest and astir achy decisions” helium had ever made.

After 47 years, Jerry has made the hard determination to measurement down from the institution we built together. I’m sharing his words arsenic helium resigns from Ben & Jerry’s. His bequest deserves to beryllium existent to our values, not silenced by @MagnumGlobal #FreeBenAndJerrys pic.twitter.com/EZXGRjs76a

— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) September 17, 2025

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Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s person clashed since 2021, erstwhile the Vermont-based institution said it would stop income successful the occupied West Bank arsenic doing truthful was “inconsistent with our values”.

The marque has since sued its genitor institution implicit alleged efforts to soundlessness it and described Israel’s warfare connected Gaza arsenic “genocide”, a uncommon stance for a large US company.

At the time, a Unilever spokesperson said, “Our bosom goes retired to each victims of the tragic events successful the Middle East. We cull the claims made by B&J’s societal ngo board, and we volition support our lawsuit precise strongly. We would not remark further connected this ineligible matter.”

Greenfield said helium could nary longer “in bully conscience” proceed moving for a institution that had been “silenced” by Unilever, contempt a merger statement meant to safeguard the brand’s societal mission.

“That independency existed successful nary tiny portion due to the fact that of the unsocial merger statement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever,” helium wrote successful the letter.

Both men are known for their progressive activism.

Cohen was arrested successful May for disrupting a United States Senate proceeding to protestation Washington’s enactment for Israel’s warfare successful Gaza. Nearly 65,000 radical person been killed successful Gaza since Israel launched its war, pursuing the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks connected confederate Israel.

A Magnum Ice Cream Company spokesperson said connected Wednesday that it disagrees with Greenfield’s position and has sought to prosecute some cofounders successful a constructive speech connected however to fortify Ben & Jerry’s almighty values-based presumption successful the world. The spokesperson besides said it was grateful to Greenfield for his relation successful cofounding Ben & Jerry’s.

Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever did not instantly respond to a petition for remark from the Reuters quality agency.

Last week, Cohen said the marque had attempted to technologist a merchantability to investors astatine a just marketplace worth betwixt $1.5bn and $2.5bn amid tensions with Unilever, but the connection was rejected.