What started as a feel-good ice cream company in Vermont has now become the center of a high-stakes corporate drama.
Ben & Jerry’s—known as much for its progressive values as its Chunky Monkey—is in the middle of a serious feud with its parent company, Unilever.
At the heart of it? A clash between purpose and profit.
A Mission at Odds with Management
Ben & Jerry’s has always worn its heart on its pint-sized sleeves.
Since being founded in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the brand has championed social justice causes.
But Unilever, which bought the company back in 2000 for $326 million, seems to be running out of patience with those activist roots.
Unilever initially agreed to let Ben & Jerry’s operate with a level of independence, especially when it came to social advocacy.
But lately, that arrangement has come under fire.
Unilever is now trying to rein in the brand’s more outspoken stances—and it’s not going smoothly.
A Battle Brewing Over the Foundation
One major point of contention is the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, which gives away millions each year to grassroots causes like the Human Rights Coalition, Black Workers Matter, and affordable housing projects.
Unilever recently threatened to cut off its $5 million annual contribution unless the foundation submits to an immediate audit.
To many, that move feels less like oversight and more like pressure.
And it has only deepened the divide between the ice cream brand and its parent company.
Founders Want Their Baby Back
Frustrated by the direction things are going, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have asked Unilever to sell the brand back to them.
So far, Unilever has refused. But Cohen isn’t giving up—he’s been rallying investors who share his vision, hoping to take back control and restore the company’s mission-driven identity.
“The company used to love us for who we were,” Cohen said in a recent interview.
“Now we’ve grown apart. We just want to be free.”
Fallout After a Firing
The situation escalated when Unilever fired Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever, reportedly over his political views.
The firing triggered a lawsuit from Ben & Jerry’s leadership, who argue it violates the very agreement that gave the brand independence to speak out on societal issues.
Cohen and Greenfield, although no longer on the company’s board, publicly supported Stever.
They emphasized that without the original social mission agreement, Ben & Jerry’s might have become just another dessert brand—losing the soul that set it apart.
The Trump Trigger and a Legal Showdown
Things really came to a head after the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
According to a lawsuit, Ben & Jerry’s planned to take a strong stand against Donald Trump’s second term, including issues like climate change, minimum wage, and reproductive rights.
But Unilever allegedly told them to stay quiet.
That was the last straw.
The brand, once known for challenging authority, suddenly had its voice muted by its own parent company.
Ben & Jerry’s called the move a betrayal of their foundational agreement and values.
What’s Next for Ben & Jerry’s?
As Unilever considers spinning off its entire ice cream division—home to brands like Magnum—Ben Cohen sees a potential exit path for Ben & Jerry’s.
He still works at the company and remains committed to the idea that businesses have a responsibility to society.
“Ben & Jerry’s is a company with a soul,” he says.
“Business is the most powerful force in our society, and for that, it has a responsibility to the society it serves.”
So where does this leave everything? A lawsuit is underway, tensions are high, and the future of Ben & Jerry’s hangs in the balance.
One thing’s for sure: this isn’t your average boardroom squabble.
It’s a fight for the heart of a brand—and maybe even what it means for businesses to take a stand.