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The co-founders behind the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has stated how parent company Unilever blocked the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who established the company alongside his partner, announced that he plans to personally create the controversial flavor within a personal series highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Creators and Corporate Owner

The recent announcement escalates the ongoing disagreement among the world-famous ice cream maker with its corporate parent, the UK-based packaged goods corporation that acquired Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed how the parent company along with their ice cream division Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Flavor as an Emblem for Support

Mr. Cohen announced via an Instagram video that he is creating a new watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for naming options and additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented from a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has become an emblem for solidarity with Palestinians due to its colors, that closely resemble those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Recent Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company transferring the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales within the occupied West Bank.

The new product line is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally established in 2016 to support former political contender Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes and Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen indicated how he plans to create other ice cream flavors focusing on issues which the company was silenced from addressing publicly by Unilever.

This development comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September, following decades of involvement, mentioning worries that its independence had been compromised following corporate moves to curb its social activism.

At that time, Mr. Cohen commented that "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding social activism
• Independent flavor creation from original creators
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements among corporate ownership versus social mission