|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Greenfield steps down amid growing strains
|
|
Friday, 19 September, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
|
|
Our Bureau, Mumbai
|
Jerry Greenfield, who along with Ben Cohen turned Ben & Jerry’s into one of the world’s most recognisable ice cream brands, has announced his resignation from the company, calling it an emotional but unavoidable decision. His exit comes at a time when the brand’s social activism and its alignment with parent company Unilever have been under increasing scrutiny.
Greenfield and Cohen, who began their journey in 1978 with a small scoop shop in Burlington, Vermont, built the brand not just on unusual flavours but also on outspoken political and social positions. From climate change and racial justice to LGBTQ+ rights, Ben & Jerry’s became known for its willingness to take sides on contentious debates.
The relationship with Unilever, which acquired the company in 2000, was intended to preserve that independence through a special board structure. However, the balance between a multinational’s commercial interests and the brand’s activist spirit has repeatedly come under stress.
One of the most divisive moments came in 2021, when Ben & Jerry’s announced that it would no longer sell its products in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The move drew sharp criticism from Israeli authorities and prompted legal and political pushback in the United States. For many, it became a symbol of the clash between a brand that wanted to speak freely on global issues and a corporate parent wary of financial and diplomatic repercussions.
Although Greenfield did not cite a single reason for leaving, he expressed disappointment that the space for independent expression within the company had narrowed. His long-time partner Ben Cohen, who had earlier voiced similar frustrations, suggested that their founding vision had been compromised under corporate constraints.
The resignation raises questions about how Ben & Jerry’s will position itself in the future. While its flavours remain popular worldwide, the company’s identity has long been tied to its activist voice. Whether that voice continues with the same intensity or is tempered by Unilever’s cautious approach remains to be seen.
For Greenfield, the departure marks the end of nearly five decades with a brand that transformed from a neighbourhood ice cream shop into a global business with a conscience. For the food and beverage industry, it highlights the growing challenge of balancing corporate growth with political and social engagement in an increasingly polarised world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|