Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Battles Owner Magnum Over Brand's Social Activism
Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen has launched a 'Free Ben & Jerry's' campaign, accusing new owner Magnum Ice Cream Company of suppressing the brand's political activism, including criticism of President Trump. The brand was sold to Unilever in 2000 under a governance arrangement protecting its social mission, but that structure has eroded since Magnum took over the ice cream unit. The dispute raises broader questions about whether a values-driven brand identity can survive under a large corporate parent.
Ben Cohen, who co-founded Ben & Jerry's with Jerry Greenfield in 1978, is publicly battling Magnum Ice Cream Company — the Unilever spin-off that now owns the brand — over what he describes as the systematic dismantling of its social mission. Cohen claims Magnum has explicitly barred the brand from criticising President Donald Trump, calling this the 'biggest attack on the values of Ben & Jerry's since the company was founded.' The conflict has drawn over 130,000 signatures and letters of support for Cohen's 'Free Ben & Jerry's' campaign. Greenfield, for his part, resigned from the company in September after nearly 50 years, citing a loss of independence, though Cohen characterised his co-founder as 'conflict averse.' Magnum disputes Cohen's characterisation, stating the brand continues to speak out on issues including immigration enforcement, the Iran conflict, and democratic processes. The governance arrangement originally established when Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry's in 2000 — which gave an independent board authority over the social mission — has been weakened after six of nine independent board members resigned or were removed following the introduction of retroactive term limits. Ben & Jerry's generated €1.1 billion in revenue in 2024, representing a significant share of Magnum's €8.3 billion ice cream portfolio.
What's missing
The specific legal status or outcome of the earlier Ben & Jerry's lawsuit against Unilever over Gaza commentary is not addressed in either source, nor is it clear what formal authority, if any, Cohen retains over the brand given he is described as a co-founder rather than a current board member or executive.
How coverage differed
Bloomberg's framing centres on the business and ideological tension between social-mission branding and corporate ownership, while The Straits Times places greater emphasis on the personal conflict between Cohen and Magnum and includes more detail on the governance breakdown and Greenfield's resignation.
What different sources said
- The Straits TimesCenter
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder says brand being ‘destroyed’ by Magnum
- BloombergCenter
Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder’s War Against Big Ice Cream
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