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One of the co-founders of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced how parent company the multinational conglomerate prevented the launch of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that co-founded the business with Jerry Greenfield, revealed that he plans to personally create the controversial product within an individual series highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's was barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Creators and Parent Company

This latest development deepens the ongoing tension between the internationally recognized ice cream maker with Unilever, the British consumer goods giant which acquired the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed that Unilever and its ice cream arm Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Sorbet as an Emblem of Solidarity

The entrepreneur announced via an Instagram video how he is creating a new watermelon-based sorbet, asking for consumer ideas for the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated from a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has become a symbol of support for Palestinians because of its colors, which match the colors in Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Social Engagement and Current Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of its products in areas under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring the Israeli operation to a local licensee, thereby permitting continued sales within the occupied West Bank.

The new product line will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand that originally created in 2016 for endorsing former political contender Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Management Changes plus Future Plans

The founder stated that he plans to create additional frozen dessert varieties that address issues which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company recently, following decades with the organization, mentioning worries that its independence had been compromised after corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen stated that "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for its independence so that the company can actualise the social mission, the values which it was founded on while upholding for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding social activism
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as social statement
• Ongoing tensions among corporate ownership versus ethical values