Ben Cohen’s attempt to launch a “Palestine solidarity” ice cream flavor sparks backlash and deepens his rift with Unilever, while Ben & Jerry’s Israel reaffirms its full independence and commitment to local Israeli communities.
A fresh controversy has melted into the world of ice cream politics. Ben Cohen, co-founder of the iconic Ben & Jerry’s, has accused parent company Unilever of blocking his proposal to launch a “pro-Palestinian” flavor, revealing plans to go rogue with an independent brand promoting the same agenda.
In an Instagram video posted Tuesday, Cohen appeared in a kitchen mixing ingredients for what he described as a “watermelon-flavored sorbet for peace in Palestine.” The flavor — inspired by the watermelon’s resemblance to the colors of the Palestinian flag — is part of Cohen’s new activist project, Ben’s Best, a personal offshoot brand he claims will tackle causes “Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced from supporting.”
“I’m doing what they couldn’t,” Cohen declared. “I’m making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and for repairing the damage that was done there.”
Unilever, which purchased Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, reportedly blocked the initiative, citing legal and brand guidelines. Cohen accused both Unilever and its ice cream division Magnum of “unlawfully preventing” Ben & Jerry’s from pursuing its “social mission.”
The move reignites tensions over Ben & Jerry’s history of anti-Israel activism. In 2021, the company’s global board announced it would stop selling products in what it termed “Israeli-occupied territories.” The decision prompted public outrage and legal challenges, ultimately forcing Unilever to sell Ben & Jerry’s Israel operations to a local licensee, American Quality Products Ltd., owned by Avi Zinger.
Since 2022, Ben & Jerry’s Israel has operated completely independently, with no legal or financial ties to either Unilever or Ben & Jerry’s Global. The Israeli branch runs a manufacturing plant in Be’er Tuvia, employing over 200 Israeli workers, and has continued to sell across the country while emphasizing community and coexistence values.
A company spokesperson reiterated that Ben & Jerry’s Israel “remains fully autonomous and deeply committed to its employees and consumers throughout Israel.”
The rift between the co-founders and Unilever has continued to widen. Jerry Greenfield, the brand’s other co-founder, resigned in September, citing frustration over corporate restrictions on activism. Cohen vowed to “keep fighting from within” to preserve what he calls Ben & Jerry’s original “social mission.”
Cohen’s new “Ben’s Best” label — which first gained attention in 2016 for its “Bernie’s Back” flavor supporting Senator Bernie Sanders — plans to develop other politically themed products. But his latest move has drawn sharp criticism from Jewish organizations, which accuse him of “commercializing anti-Israel narratives under the guise of peace.”
While Unilever has remained silent on the matter, Israel’s independent ice cream branch stands as a testament to resilience — serving up sweetness without the politics.
