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The original creators of the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has stated that parent company Unilever stopped the launch of a new pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company with his partner, disclosed that he plans to personally create this new product as part of a personal collection showcasing causes Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Creators versus Parent Company

This latest development escalates the continuing conflict among the internationally recognized ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods corporation which has owned the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders have claimed how the parent company and their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol of Solidarity

Mr. Cohen announced via an Instagram video that he is creating an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen declared from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that advocates for permanent peace for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has become a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people due to its colors, that closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Activism and Recent Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company transferring the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious dessert company which was first created in 2016 to support ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts plus Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen indicated how he plans to create other ice cream flavors that address issues which Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down his position at the company in September, following many years of involvement, mentioning worries that its independence was compromised following corporate moves to curb its social activism.

At that time, Ben Cohen stated how “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

“My conscience leads me to keep working within the organization to fight for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values which established its foundation and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company limitations regarding political advocacy
• Personal product development by original creators
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Continuing tensions between parent company versus ethical values