Founding partner of Ben & Jerry's steps down, confesses he's unable to continue due to moral conflicts
In a surprising turn of events, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the iconic ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, has announced his departure from the company after nearly 50 years. His resignation, effective immediately, comes amidst a long-standing dispute between Ben & Jerry's and its parent company, Unilever, over the sale of ice cream in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The dispute began in 2021 when Ben & Jerry's co-founders, Greenfield and Ben Cohen, halted the sales of their products in Israeli-occupied settlements in the West Bank, stating that they would not renew their licence with their Israeli distributor, American Quality Products (AQP). This decision was in line with Ben & Jerry's long-standing commitment to social justice, a stance that has positioned the brand at the forefront of such causes.
However, Unilever, which purchased Ben & Jerry's in 2000 with a condition to safeguard the ice cream brand's independence, disagreed with this decision. The company sold off the Israeli arm of the ice cream business to Avi Zinger, the owner of AQP, who operates the brand independently in Israel with full autonomy.
Greenfield's resignation was due to a dispute with Unilever, specifically the loss of the agreement that allowed him and Cohen to speak out in support of various causes entrenched in Ben & Jerry's social mission. In his resignation letter, Greenfield stated that the basis of this agreement is 'gone'.
The Israeli settlements in the West Bank are regarded as illegal under international law. Ben & Jerry's has continued to believe that it is inconsistent with their values for their ice-cream to be sold in these territories.
In a twist, the Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is expected to be wholly separated from Unilever and independently operational by the end of Q4 2025, had been in discussions with Ben & Jerry's co-founders before Greenfield's departure. The Magnum Ice Cream Company disagrees with Greenfield's perspective and has sought to engage him in a constructive conversation to strengthen Ben & Jerry's values-based position.
Greenfield, however, intends to carry the values of Ben & Jerry's forward outside the company, with all the love and conviction he can. His statement indicates that Ben & Jerry's was more than just an ice cream company; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice, and a better world.
The post about Greenfield's resignation can be viewed on Instagram by searching for Ben Cohen's account (@yobencohen). Ben & Jerry's lost a legal bid to block Unilever from selling its ice cream in the West Bank in August 2022.
As Greenfield moves on from Ben & Jerry's, the future of the brand and its commitment to social justice remains uncertain. However, one thing is clear: Greenfield's impact on the company and its mission will be felt for years to come.
