Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield quits accusing Unilever of silencing social mission

"Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield has stepped away from the ice-cream brand after nearly 50 years, according to a post by the other founder, Ben Cohen. Cohen's post shared what he said was a letter from Greenfield in which he called it one of the hardest and most painful decisions he had ever made. Greenfield accused Unilever of silencing the company, saying its independence to speak up on global issues was gone."

"Greenfield accused Unilever of silencing the company, saying its independence to speak up on global issues was gone. If the company couldn't stand up for the things we believed, then it wasn't worth being a company at all, Greenfield said. The decision came despite a merger agreement meant to safeguard the brand's social mission, Greenfield added. That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement that he and Cohen had negotiated with Unilever, Greenfield wrote."

Jerry Greenfield stepped away from Ben & Jerry's after nearly 50 years, calling the decision one of the hardest and most painful of his life. Greenfield accused Unilever of silencing the company and said its independence to speak on global issues no longer exists. He said that loss violated the unique merger agreement designed to safeguard the brand's social mission, negotiated with Unilever. Unilever's Magnum Ice Cream division disputed Greenfield's perspective and said it has sought constructive engagement with the co-founders. Tensions have persisted since 2021 over sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and legal disputes.

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