Ben & Jerry’s founder Jerry Greenfield quits, says company’s activism has been silenced under Unilever
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Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, has announced his resignation, citing a fundamental breakdown of the brand’s independence and its ability to speak out on social issues. The decision comes after nearly five decades of co-founding and growing a company famously rooted in activism and social justice.
Greenfield, in a letter posted by his longtime partner Ben Cohen, asserted that Unilever, which acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, has undermined the merger agreement that was supposed to protect Ben & Jerry’s unique social mission. Under that deal, Ben & Jerry’s retained certain rights: A board meant to safeguard its values, and latitude to speak out on human rights, environmental justice, and equity issues. Greenfield contends that over recent years, freedom has been eroded.
Tensions escalated in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s declared it would stop selling ice cream in Israeli-occupied territory, a move met with backlash from Unilever. In subsequent years, the brand has also made public statements about the Gaza conflict, even using strong language such as “genocide”, which further strained its relationship with its parent company. Ben & Jerry’s has even filed a lawsuit against Unilever, alleging that Unilever attempted to prevent it from publicly supporting certain causes.
Greenfield said he could no longer remain “in good conscience” with the company he founded if it no longer stood by its core mission. He called his departure “one of the most painful decisions” of his life.
Unilever (now reorganising its ice-cream brands into a unit known as The Magnum Ice Cream Company or TMICC) has disputed Greenfield’s characterisation, saying it disagrees with his view and is engaging in dialogue with the co-founders.
The conflict raises complex questions about what happens when socially driven brand values enter tension with corporate ownership. Greenfield’s exit underscores the challenge of preserving activist identity within a large corporate structure—especially when decisions by higher-ups seem to limit or alter what was promised. It also highlights how merger agreements intended to protect values can be challenged when economic, legal, or reputational risks emerge. The outcome of the ongoing legal actions and investor interest in possibly buying or freeing Ben & Jerry’s remains to be seen.
