The Magnum Ice Cream Company has announced that the chair of Ben & Jerry’s board no longer meets the necessary criteria to serve, following internal investigations. This development marks the latest clash between the two renowned frozen treat brands.
In a recent SEC filing, Magnum, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, Talenti, and Klondike, stated that it has informed the Ben & Jerry’s board about the investigation findings and will be assessing its options based on the response received from the Cherry Garcia maker.
While the ice cream company did not disclose specifics of the investigation or directly mention the chair in question, the Ben & Jerry’s website listed Anuradha Mittal, founder of the Oakland Institute, as the overseer of the board.
Responding to the situation, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen expressed that this move is an intentional effort to alter history and undermine the legal authority of the Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board that was guaranteed during Unilever’s acquisition of the brand in 2000.
Ben & Jerry’s emphasized that the unique merger agreement struck twenty-five years ago allowed the brand to maintain an independent board of directors to uphold its social mission, brand integrity, and product quality.
Regarding Unilever’s current restructuring plans, the consumer goods giant is set to separate its ice cream business into a standalone entity named Magnum. Originally scheduled for this month, the separation is now slated for December 8 due to delays caused by the U.S. government shutdown.
Once the separation is finalized, Magnum, with a revenue of $9.3 billion last year, will become the largest ice cream-focused company globally. A significant portion of Magnum’s sales is projected to come from the U.S., its primary market.
This conflict is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between Magnum/Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s, with the latter alleging that the former has hindered its ability to speak out on social issues.
Previously, Ben & Jerry’s claimed that Unilever demanded it cease criticizing President Donald Trump publicly and attempted to prevent it from advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza. Additionally, the companies clashed earlier this year over Unilever’s decision to dismiss Ben & Jerry’s CEO due to his support for the brand’s social mission.
In September, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield announced his resignation from the brand after nearly fifty years, citing Unilever’s failure to uphold its commitment to grant Ben & Jerry’s the freedom to address progressive social issues. Instead, the brand alleges that Unilever has opted to silence and sideline Ben & Jerry’s to avoid upsetting those in power.