Jerry of Ben & Jerry’s quits iconic ice cream brand amid clashes over Israel criticism

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield, whose name helped shape the popular ice cream brand, has quit the company, as its rift with parent Unilever deepened over its stance on the Gaza conflict.

In an open letter addressing the Ben & Jerry’s community shared by business partner Ben Cohen on social media platform X on Wednesday, Greenfield says that the Vermont-based company has lost its independence since Unilever curtailed its social activism.

After 47 years, Jerry has made the difficult decision to step down from the company we built together. I’m sharing his words as he resigns from Ben & Jerry’s. His legacy deserves to be true to our values, not silenced by @MagnumGlobal #FreeBenAndJerrys pic.twitter.com/EZXGRjs76a

— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) September 17, 2025

Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s have clashed since 2021, when the Chubby Hubby maker said it would stop sales in the West Bank.

The brand has since sued its parent over alleged efforts to silence it and described the Gaza conflict as “genocide,” a rare stance for a major US company.

Greenfield said he could no longer “in good conscience” continue working for a company that had been “silenced” by Unilever, despite a merger agreement meant to safeguard the brand’s social mission.

A spokesperson for Magnum Ice Cream Company, Unilever’s ice cream unit, says that it “disagrees with Greenfield’s perspective and has sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world.”

Magnum says Greenfield stepped down as a brand ambassador and that he is not a party to the lawsuit.