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The co-founders of the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has announced how parent company Unilever stopped the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the business with his partner, disclosed how he will independently develop this new product within an individual collection highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's has been barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Founders and Parent Company

The recent announcement escalates the ongoing tension among the internationally recognized dessert company with Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant that has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

Both founders maintain how the parent company along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol of Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated through social media that he is creating a new watermelon-flavored sorbet, asking for public suggestions regarding the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen commented from his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has become a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians because of its colors, that mirror those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Social Engagement plus Recent Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in territories occupied by Israel, resulting in Unilever transferring the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution in disputed territories.

This upcoming product line will be developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand which was first established in 2016 to support ex- political contender Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes and Future Intentions

The founder indicated how he plans to develop other ice cream flavors focusing on concerns which the company was prevented from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

This development follows partner Mr. Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's recently, after many years of involvement, citing worries regarding how its independence had been compromised after corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

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

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy so that the company can achieve the social mission, the principles that established its foundation and has maintained for over 40 years," he told journalists.

• Parent company limitations on political advocacy
• Personal product development by original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Continuing disagreements among parent company and social mission