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The co-founders behind the famous ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has claimed that corporate owner Unilever stopped the launch of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the business with Jerry Greenfield, disclosed how he plans to independently develop the controversial flavor within a personal series highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's was barred from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

The recent announcement intensifies the continuing conflict among the world-famous dessert company with its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods giant which acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders have asserted that the parent company and its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented their company against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Sorbet becoming an Emblem of Support

Mr. Cohen announced via an Instagram video how he's developing a new watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for naming options plus additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as an emblem of support for Palestinians due to its colors, which closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Social Engagement plus Current Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company selling the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thereby permitting ongoing distribution within disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series will be created through Ben's Best, the activist dessert company which originally established in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Shifts and Upcoming Intentions

Mr. Cohen revealed that he plans to create additional frozen dessert varieties that address issues that the company was silenced from addressing publicly by Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from the company in September, after many years with the organization, citing concerns regarding how the company's autonomy was undermined after Unilever's decision to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Mr. Cohen remarked that "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles which it was founded on while upholding for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company restrictions regarding political advocacy
• Independent flavor creation from original creators
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Continuing tensions between corporate ownership versus social mission