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The co-founders behind the famous ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has claimed that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate blocked the launch for an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the business alongside Jerry Greenfield, revealed that he plans to personally create this new flavor as part of an individual series showcasing issues the company was barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Creators versus Corporate Owner

This latest announcement deepens the continuing conflict between the world-famous dessert company with Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods corporation which has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders have asserted how the parent company along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Sorbet becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen revealed via social media how he is creating an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions for the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated from his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has become a symbol of support for the Palestinian people due to its coloration, which mirror the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Recent Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of its products in areas under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales within disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series will be created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand which was first established in 2016 for endorsing ex- political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts and Future Plans

Mr. Cohen indicated how he plans to develop additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on 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, following decades with the organization, citing worries regarding how its independence was undermined after Unilever's decision to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen commented that "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can actualise the social mission, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company restrictions on social activism
• Independent flavor creation from original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements between parent company and social mission