By Devyn Briones
Staff Writer
After almost half a century of unique flavors and fights for social causes, co-founder Jerry Greenfield has made the tough decision to leave the famous ice cream company, Ben & Jerry’s.
Over the years, Ben Cohen and Greenfield have leveraged their brand to raise awareness about a wide range of issues, including racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, climate change and other causes. Once Unilever, one of the largest consumer goods companies, bought Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, the co-founders found that they were facing immense pressure to silence their core values.
Greenfield’s departure statement was shared by Cohen on X on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
“That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity,” Jerry wrote. “It’s profoundly disappointing to conclude that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”
Cohen and Greenfield grew up together in Long Island, N.Y. In 1978, the co-founders opened their first ice cream shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont.
Now, Ben & Jerry’s can be found in 38 countries around the world. The brand offers 98 different flavors, including dairy-free and gluten-free options. “Half Baked,” “Cherry Garcia” and “Chocolate Fudge Brownie” were ranked the top three flavors of 2024.
While being an incredibly successful, tasteful business with exotic flavors, their brand reaches further than just ice cream. The co-founders have transformed the company itself into a platform for activism, using their flavor labels to promote awareness about current issues.
Flavors “Save our Swirled” (2015) helped spread awareness about climate change; “Empower Mint” (2016), which reminded people that real change for justice and equality is possible through direct activism or voting for personal values.
Similarly, “Home Sweet Honeycomb” (2017), released in partnership with the International Rescue Committee to support legislation resettling refugees in Europe, is just a few examples of Ben & Jerry’s mission-inspired flavors.
“For more than twenty years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice, and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world,” Greenfield wrote.
Five months ago, Ben & Jerry’s took legal action against parent company Unilever, claiming the company fired CEO David Stever over his support of the brand’s political activism.
In November 2024, the brand followed with another lawsuit, this time accusing Unilever of silencing their statements in support of Palestinian refugees, according to Reuters.
Cohen remains committed to the business and isn’t planning on following Greenfield's resignation.
“My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence so that it can actualise the social mission, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years,” Cohen told BBC.
“It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equality, justice and a better world,” Greenfield wrote. “Coming to the conclusion that this is no longer possible at Ben & Jerry’s means I can no longer remain part of Ben & Jerry’s.”
