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The co-founders behind the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has claimed that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate blocked the introduction for a new Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who established the company with Jerry Greenfield, disclosed how he plans to personally create this new product as part of a personal series highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's was prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Between Creators and Corporate Owner

This latest announcement intensifies the ongoing conflict among the internationally recognized ice cream maker and its corporate parent, the British consumer goods corporation which acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain that Unilever and its ice cream arm the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol of Support

Mr. Cohen revealed through social media that he's developing a new watermelon-based frozen dessert, requesting consumer ideas regarding naming options and additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder declared in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-based ice cream that calls for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

This particular fruit has emerged as a symbol for support for Palestinians because of its colors, which mirror those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Recent Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in territories occupied by Israel, leading to Unilever transferring their Israel business over to a local licensee, thereby permitting continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

The new product line is being developed under Ben's Best, the activist dessert company that originally created several years back to support former political contender Bernie Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts plus Future Plans

Mr. Cohen revealed that he will develop additional frozen dessert varieties that address concerns which the company was prevented from addressing publicly due to Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned his position at Ben & Jerry's recently, following decades of involvement, citing worries regarding how the company's autonomy had been undermined following Unilever's decision to restrict its social activism.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience compels me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can achieve its ethical purpose, the principles which it was founded on while upholding for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Corporate owner limitations regarding political advocacy
• Personal flavor creation from original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements between corporate ownership versus social mission