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The co-founders of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has stated how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate blocked the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, that co-founded the company alongside his partner, revealed that he plans to personally create this new flavor as part of an individual series highlighting causes the company was prevented from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Creators and Parent Company

The recent announcement intensifies the ongoing tension among the internationally recognized dessert company with its corporate parent, the UK-based packaged goods giant which acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders have asserted that Unilever and its ice cream arm the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked their company against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Flavor as an Emblem for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen announced through an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for naming options plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that advocates for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem for solidarity with the Palestinian people due to its coloration, that closely resemble the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Current Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, resulting in Unilever transferring the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales within disputed territories.

The new product line will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious dessert company that was first created in 2016 for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts and Future Plans

Mr. Cohen revealed how he plans to develop other frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues that the company was prevented from addressing publicly by Unilever.

This development follows partner Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years of involvement, citing worries that the company's autonomy had been undermined after Unilever's decision to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked how “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the values which established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he told journalists.

• Corporate owner limitations regarding social activism
• Independent flavor creation by original creators
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Continuing disagreements between parent company and ethical values