The co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s are currently advocating for the popular brand to be allowed to operate independently once again, separate from Unilever’s upcoming spinoff of its ice cream business in November.
In an open letter addressed to The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which Unilever is divesting from, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield expressed their disappointment in the way Unilever has handled the brand since its acquisition in 2000. They had initially agreed to sell the Vermont-based ice cream brand with the understanding that Ben & Jerry’s would have the freedom to uphold its progressive social mission. However, the founders feel that Unilever has not honored this agreement and has stifled the brand’s voice, especially on issues related to social justice and war.
“We no longer believe Ben & Jerry’s can thrive under a conglomerate that does not fully support its founding mission, diminishing the brand’s value by compromising one of the main reasons why customers love and support it,” the co-founders stated. “We urge the board to consider allowing Ben & Jerry’s to once again operate independently, backed by investors who share its social values and free to uphold its mission without constraints.”
Ben & Jerry’s has been in conflict with Unilever for several years, with the ice cream brand accusing Unilever of trying to silence its criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump and preventing it from advocating for causes like a ceasefire in Gaza.
The co-founders emphasized that this is not the vision they had for Ben & Jerry’s when they joined Unilever 25 years ago and that recent events have strayed from the brand’s original ethos.
Recently, Ben & Jerry’s criticized Unilever for dismissing the brand’s CEO, claiming it was due to his support of their social mission rather than his performance. Unilever refuted these allegations, stating that it had acted appropriately. In response, a Magnum Ice Cream spokesperson affirmed that Ben & Jerry’s will remain an integral part of the company’s portfolio and that they are committed to supporting the brand’s unique mission.
Ben & Jerry’s has been a prominent player in the U.S. ice cream market, generating $951 million in sales in 2023. The U.S. ice cream market is valued at over $19 billion, with Mintel estimating its worth.
Following the split, Magnum Ice Cream anticipates annual organic sales growth of 3% to 5% and plans to implement cost-cutting measures to enhance profitability. The company aims to revamp its supply chain to achieve significant savings and become the largest ice cream company globally, with $9.3 billion in revenue last year.