After nearly five decades of helping build one of the most beloved and outspoken brands in American food history, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, has officially quit the company, citing an untenable relationship with parent company Unilever and what he calls a “silencing” of the brand’s progressive voice.
The news was first shared publicly by fellow co-founder Ben Cohen, who posted a heartfelt statement from Greenfield announcing his decision to step away after 47 years.
“It’s with a broken heart that I’ve decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s,” Greenfield wrote. “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.”
Though neither Greenfield nor Cohen has held a formal executive position at Ben & Jerry’s since they sold the company to Unilever in 2000, both have remained highly visible as brand ambassadors, often appearing at product launches, employee training events, and political rallies. The duo’s activism has become as synonymous with the brand as its chunky, irreverently named ice creams.
The Meltdown Behind the Scenes
Greenfield’s departure marks a significant flashpoint in a long-running dispute between Ben & Jerry’s and its corporate parent. Though the original acquisition agreement in 2000 promised the company would retain its “independence to pursue [its] values,” Greenfield said that independence has slowly eroded under Unilever’s ownership, and most recently, under the umbrella of its soon-to-be-spun-off ice cream division, the Magnum Ice Cream Company.
“We disagree with his perspective,” said a spokesperson for Magnum Ice Cream Company in response to Greenfield’s resignation. “We 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.”
But Greenfield maintains that such conversations have led nowhere and that Unilever has continually undermined the brand’s mission.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s made international headlines when it announced it would no longer sell its products in occupied Palestinian territories, citing the move as incompatible with the company’s values. The decision was met with immediate backlash from the Israeli government and several pro-Israel organizations.
Lawsuits, Censorship, and the Fight for Free Speech
The fallout from the Israel decision escalated into a public legal battle. In 2022, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever, accusing the multinational of censoring its political speech, specifically statements supporting Palestinian refugees and resolutions to end U.S. military aid to Israel.
According to internal complaints made public earlier this year, Unilever allegedly blocked the ice cream brand from posting content referencing abortion access, climate change, and universal healthcare, because the statement included a reference to President Donald Trump.
In March, Ben & Jerry’s claimed that Unilever had breached their original merger agreement when it removed CEO David Stever, reportedly due to his role in continuing the brand’s vocal progressive stance.
Unilever has denied all allegations, maintaining that the company is committed to the brand’s founding values.
A Call for Independence
Just days before Greenfield’s announcement, he and Cohen released an open letter addressed to the Magnum Ice Cream Company board, urging the company to allow Ben & Jerry’s to operate independently once again.
The letter, published online, calls for a return to the brand’s original vision: a business that not only serves sweet treats but also speaks truth to power.
So far, Unilever has firmly refused. “Ben & Jerry’s is a proud part of the Magnum Ice Cream Company and is not for sale,” a spokesperson told reporters.
Greenfield, yet, sees the refusal as another sign that the brand’s founding mission is no longer being honored.
“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 said. “It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence — the very basis of our sale to Unilever — is gone.”
“Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced at a time when our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community,” Greenfield wrote, without naming specific officials. “The stakes are too high for us to remain silent.”
Magnum, in its official response, praised Greenfield’s contributions. “We will be forever grateful to Jerry for his role in co-founding such an amazing ice cream company, turning his passion for delicious ice cream and addressing social causes into a remarkable success story,” the company said in a statement.
But for Greenfield, the farewell is more bitter than sweet and it is unsure of the future of the company.
