After 47 years, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is quitting the ice cream brand over what he says is an effort by owner Unilever to silence the independence of the frequently outspoken company.
“For more than 20 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 in a letter shared by fellow co-founder Ben Cohen on X.
“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. It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”
The co-founder continued, saying that the move to dampen the outspoken nature of Ben & Jerry’s comes as “our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women and the LGBTQ community.”
Greenfield’s resignation comes after Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever in March of ousting its CEO David Stever over permitting social media posts advocating for Black History Month, free speech and in support of Palestine. The company previously sued Unilever in 2024, alleging its attempts to silence Ben & Jerry’s violated the 2000 agreement they signed when the company was sold to Unilever.
The feud between Ben & Jerry’s and its owner has been brewing for years, and reached a boiling point in 2021 when the company said it would stop selling ice cream in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. That prompted multiple lawsuits.
In announcing his departure late Tuesday, Greenfield said he viewed his decision as a test of values:
“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,” he said. “It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose.”
A spokesperson for Magnum Ice Cream Company, the spun-off Unilever company that owns Ben & Jerry’s, told the AP they disagreed with Greenfield’s assessment.
“We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world,” the spokesperson said.
Greenfield’s move also comes as a growing number of voices across the country are expressing fear that they’re being silenced to appease the Trump administration, from Stephen Colbert on CBS to journalists and commentators on cable news.
