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The co-founders of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has claimed how corporate owner Unilever prevented the launch for a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who established the company alongside his partner, announced that he will personally create the controversial flavor within an individual collection showcasing issues the company was prevented from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Creators versus Corporate Owner

The recent announcement deepens the continuing tension between the world-famous ice cream maker with Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation that has owned Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

Both founders have claimed how the parent company and their ice cream division Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Flavor becoming an Emblem of Support

The entrepreneur announced via an Instagram video that he is creating a new watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions for the product's name and additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” the founder declared in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians due to its colors, which mirror the colors in the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Social Engagement plus Recent Changes

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, leading to the parent company selling their Israel business over to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming dessert series is being developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company which was first created in 2016 for endorsing former political contender Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes plus Future Intentions

The founder stated how he plans to develop other frozen dessert varieties that address issues that the company was prevented from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company in September, after many years of involvement, mentioning concerns regarding how the company's autonomy had been undermined following corporate moves to restrict its social activism.

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

"My heart compels me to continue to work within the organization to fight for its independence so that it can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on while upholding for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions regarding social activism
• Personal product development from original creators
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements among parent company versus social mission