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One of the co-founders of the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has announced that parent company Unilever blocked the launch of an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced how he will personally create the controversial flavor as part of a personal collection highlighting causes the company was barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Founders and Parent Company

This latest announcement escalates the continuing conflict between the world-famous dessert company and Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have claimed how Unilever and their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Sorbet becoming an Emblem for Support

The entrepreneur revealed through social media that he is creating a new watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions regarding the product's name plus additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” the founder declared from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has emerged as a symbol of support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, which match the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Social Engagement and Current Developments

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution within the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series will be created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand which was first created in 2016 for endorsing former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts plus Upcoming Intentions

The founder indicated how he plans to create other ice cream flavors that address concerns that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned from the company in September, after decades with the organization, mentioning concerns that its independence had been compromised following corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked how “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

"My heart compels me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill the social mission, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told journalists.

• Corporate owner restrictions on political advocacy
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Continuing tensions between parent company and ethical values