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One of the original creators of the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has claimed that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate prevented the introduction of an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, who co-founded the company alongside his partner, announced that he will personally create this new flavor within a personal series highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Conflict Between Founders and Corporate Owner

The recent development intensifies the ongoing tension among the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation that acquired the ice cream brand since 2000.

Both founders have asserted how Unilever along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur revealed via an Instagram video how he's developing a new watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, requesting public suggestions regarding naming options plus additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen commented in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has become an emblem of solidarity with Palestinians because of its colors, which match those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Social Engagement plus Current Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company transferring their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand which was first created in 2016 for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Shifts and Future Plans

The founder revealed that he plans to develop additional ice cream flavors that address concerns that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after partner Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company recently, after many years of involvement, citing worries that the company's autonomy had been compromised following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked that "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can fulfill the social mission, the principles which it was founded on while upholding for over 40 years," he explained to journalists.

• Corporate owner restrictions on social activism
• Independent flavor creation from original creators
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Continuing disagreements among parent company and social mission