By Claire Moses Yan Zhuang
Copyright
Unilever is in the process of spinning off its ice cream unit, which includes Ben & Jerry’s, into a new entity, Magnum Ice Cream Company. The new company issued a statement on Wednesday thanking Mr. Greenfield for “his service and support over many decades.”
“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 statement said.
Unilever did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last week, Mr. Cohen, 74, protested outside the hotel where the Magnum Ice Cream Company was holding a presentation of its plans for investors, Reuters reported. Mr. Cohen posted images of himself protesting on Instagram and wrote in a caption, “If Ben & Jerry’s is going to stand up for what matters, we need to be independent.”
Mr. Cohen and Mr. Greenfield have long been outspoken about political issues, including supporting the Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform movements.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s said it would end sales in the Israeli-occupied territories, saying it was “inconsistent” with the company’s values. And in May, Mr. Cohen was arrested after he interrupted a Senate committee hearing to protest Congress’s funding for Israel’s military as it wages war against Hamas in Gaza.
