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One of the original creators of the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has stated how corporate owner Unilever stopped the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that established the company alongside Jerry Greenfield, revealed that he plans to independently develop this new product within a personal series highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's was prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Between Creators and Parent Company

This latest announcement escalates the continuing disagreement between the world-famous ice cream maker with Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods corporation which acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain that Unilever and their ice cream division the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Flavor as a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur announced via social media that he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas regarding the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder commented in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that advocates for permanent peace for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

This particular fruit has become an emblem of support for the Palestinian people because of its colors, which mirror those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Current Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

The new product line is being developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious dessert company that was first established in 2016 for endorsing former political contender Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts plus Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen revealed how he will create other ice cream flavors that address issues which the company was prevented from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

This development comes after partner Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company in September, following decades of involvement, mentioning concerns regarding how the company's autonomy had been compromised following corporate moves to curb its social activism.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked how “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to advocate for its independence so that the company can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company limitations regarding social activism
• Personal product development from company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements among corporate ownership versus ethical values