Half Of Ben & Jerry's Namesake Has Split From The Brand After 47 Years

Founded in 1978 by two friends whose names would become synonymous with late-night freezer indulgence and the most popular ice cream flavors in the U.S., Ben & Jerry's has been embroiled in internal conflict for the past few years. The tensions between the founders and the brand's corporate owner have reached a boiling point, with Jerry Greenfield resigning from his role as brand ambassador while citing a misalignment of values as the reason for his departure.

In a post shared on X on Greenfield's behalf by his business partner, Ben Cohen, Greenfield stated that Unilever had been silencing his attempts to speak publicly about social issues. "Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry's has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power," Greenfield wrote.

Though originally an independent brand, Ben & Jerry's was sold to Unilever in 2000 for $326 million. When the sale happened, the then-owners were adamant that Ben & Jerry's politics, its commitment to social issues, and its reputation for being vocal about them would continue. In fact, as a condition of the merger, an independent board was created to oversee the company's social justice activities.

However, the political climate of the last 25 years has put this agreement to the test time and time again. Though the company has released social justice-inspired flavors like Pecan Resist, Justice ReMix'd, and Churn out the Vote, Ben & Jerry's and its founders have also attempted to comment more directly on topics like immigration justice, LGBTQ+ rights, Black Lives Matter, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and more. This activism has resulted in varying degrees of conflict with Unilever, and ultimately, Greenfield's resignation.

Despite promises to allow Ben & Jerry's continued activism, Unilever does not seem to be comfortable with the founders' and brand's involvement in various issues. In November 2024, Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever. The ice cream company alleged censorship of statements it made criticizing the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The brand decided to stop selling ice cream in occupied Palestinian territories in 2021, which caused significant internal conflict with Unilever, and tensions have only increased as both the company and the founders themselves have continued to speak out. 

In May 2025, for example, Greenfield was escorted out of a Capitol Hill committee hearing after he interrupted Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary, to speak out against the genocide in Gaza. In March of the same year, Unilever ousted the company's CEO, David Stever, which the founders allege happened because of his position on Ben & Jerry's social media activism. Claims there was a breach in contract were added to an existing lawsuit, given that the decision should have been made after consulting Ben & Jerry's Independent Board. Unilever is not in agreement with this stance.

In response to Greenfield severing his relationship with the brand, Magnum (Ben & Jerry's parent company) stated that it doesn't agree with Greenfield's perspective and that it has tried to reach a civil agreement with the founders. Neither Cohen nor Greenfield has official roles at Ben & Jerry's, but until now, both were brand ambassadors. It is unclear whether Cohen will soon follow his business partner and longtime friend's actions and quit his symbolic role as well.