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The co-founders of the famous ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has announced that corporate owner Unilever prevented the launch of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, who co-founded the business with his partner, revealed how he will personally create this new product within an individual collection highlighting causes the company was barred from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Conflict Between Creators versus Corporate Owner

The recent development deepens the ongoing conflict between the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation that acquired Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have claimed that Unilever and its ice cream arm Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Sorbet as a Symbol of Solidarity

Mr. Cohen stated through social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions regarding the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that was done there.”

This particular fruit has emerged as a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people because of its colors, which closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Activism plus Recent Developments

Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company selling the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thereby permitting continued sales within disputed territories.

This upcoming product line is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand that originally created in 2016 to support ex- political contender Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts and Upcoming Intentions

The founder indicated how he will develop other frozen dessert varieties that address issues that the company was prevented from addressing publicly by Unilever.

The announcement comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's recently, after many years with the organization, citing worries that its independence was compromised after corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked how “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

“My conscience leads me to keep working inside the company to fight for its independence ensuring that it can fulfill the social mission, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he told media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions on social activism
• Independent product development from company founders
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Ongoing tensions between parent company versus ethical values