JERRY Greenfield, a co-founder of beloved ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, has stepped down from his position.
The shocking move was detailed on social media Tuesday evening in an open letter shared to X by fellow founder Ben Cohen.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield (right) seen with Ziggy Marley (left) in 2023[/caption]
Ben & Jerry’s started 47 years ago in Vermont (stock image)[/caption]
“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,” Cohen wrote.
“His legacy deserves to be true to our values, not silenced by @MagnumGlobal #FreeBenAndJerrys.”
The lengthy letter from Greenfield attached through an image detailed his “broken heart,” as the co-founder could “no longer, in good conscience” be an employee of Ben & Jerry’s.
“This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I’ve ever made,” Greenfield emphasized.
He went on to explain that allowing Ben & Jerry’s “the independence to pursue our values” was an initial promise from former parent company Unilever when it acquired the ice cream brand for $326 million in 2000.
Except, in March 2024, Unilever decided to exit the ice cream business, creating a spin-off entity to house Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Cornetto, and other brands called The Magnum Ice Cream Company, per CBS News.
That spin-off process remains ongoing, so Ben & Jerry’s is still technically under Unilever.
It’s also expected that the separate company will mean the axing of 7,500 jobs across Unilever brands globally, according to NBC News.
INDEPENDENCE LOST?
“For more than twenty years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice, and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world,” Greenfield said in the letter.
“That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity.”
“It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone,” he continued.
Greenfield proceeded to blast the Trump administration, claiming that it’s “attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community.”
He argued that while Ben & Jerry’s would stand up against these alleged actions, the company “has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power.”
“It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose,” Greenfield added.
Ben & Jerry’s History
- Started out of a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont in 1978
- Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield took a $5 correspondence course in ice-cream making from Penn State to start the business
- Held a free cone day in 1979 that continues to this day
- Opened first scoop shop in 1981
- Pints of Ben & Jerry’s spread worldwide to the UK in 1994
- Acquired by Unilever in August 2000
- Non-dairy creations arrive in 2016
- Launches Change is Brewing in 2021 to advance racial justice endeavors
Credit: Ben & Jerry’s
The Ben & Jerry’s co-founder concluded the letter by noting that the mission of the company was “always about more than ice cream” and if he couldn’t “carry those values forward inside the company today,” then he would so outside of it.
ADVOCACY HISTORY
While nothing pertaining to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas was specifically detailed in the letter, Ben & Jerry’s has been a longtime advocate for Palestinians.
Back in 2021, Ben & Jerry’s also ended some sales within Israeli settlements due to what it claimed was “Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Not to mention, the resignation from Greenfield also comes about five months after Ben & Jerry’s submitted a lawsuit that accused Unilever of firing chief executive David Stever over his support of the company’s political activism, per The New York Times.
In November 2024, another lawsuit was also filed that accused Unilever of silencing public statements from Ben & Jerry’s that pledged support for Palestinian refugees.
Greenfield and Ben Cohen started Ben & Jerry’s in 1978 through a lone parlor in Vermont.
Today, Ben & Jerry’s remains a multinational brand, with an estimated $9.8 billion in revenue for last year.
The US Sun has contacted Unilever for more information.
A Ben & Jerry’s rival also revived a beloved treat this summer after several years.
Fans also got free ice cream from the company in April due to a long-standing tradition.
