Jerry Greenfield, one of the founders of Ben & Jerry’s, has made a surprising decision to resign from the company.
Alongside Ben Cohen, Greenfield started the famous ice cream brand in 1978, which has since grown into a worldwide powerhouse.
Known for flavors like Bohemian Raspberry and Caramel Chew Chew, Ben & Jerry’s has established a reputation for creating distinctive and beloved ice cream varieties.
Despite the company’s continued success, Greenfield has decided to step away from Ben & Jerry’s. In a detailed statement shared on Twitter by Cohen, Greenfield expressed his reasons for leaving.
Greenfield stated that he could “no longer in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s.”
He described his decision as “one of the hardest and most painful decisions I’ve ever made,” and claimed that the company had been “silenced” despite an original merger agreement that was supposed to ensure the firm’s “independence to pursue our values.”
Unilever bought the company in 2000, but in recent years, the Ben & Jerry’s founders have frequently clashed with the parent company, particularly concerning political and social matters.
The founders have emphasized that the brand was built with a focus on social good and had negotiated an agreement with Unilever to maintain Ben & Jerry’s autonomy, including an independent board.
One major conflict arose in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s chose to halt ice cream sales in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, leading Unilever to sell the brand in that region to its Israeli licensee.
Ben & Jerry’s also alleged last year that Unilever had pressured the brand to cease criticizing Donald Trump publicly.
As part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, Ben & Jerry’s is being separated from Unilever, with plans for a stock market listing.
Cohen and Greenfield recently called for the brand to be “released” from its parent company and to regain its independence.
Magnum responded by stating that Ben & Jerry’s was “not for sale” and would remain part of the group.
In his statement, Greenfield expressed his disappointment, saying: “It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”
He continued: “It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world.”
He concluded that since this mission is no longer feasible at Ben & Jerry’s, he cannot continue his association with the company.
Reacting to Greenfield’s departure, a spokesperson for The Magnum Ice Cream Company commented: “We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world.”
The spokesperson added: “We will be forever grateful to Jerry for his role in co-founding such an amazing ice cream company, turning his passion for delicious ice cream and addressing social causes into a remarkable success story.”
They concluded with well-wishes for Greenfield’s future endeavors.