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The iconic ice cream company's founding member Jerry Greenfield has departed the company after nearly 50 years, deepening an ongoing disagreement with corporate owner Unilever.

Through a statement posted on online platforms by fellow co-founder Ben Cohen, Mr Greenfield claimed that the enterprise had lost its autonomy after Unilever restricted its social activism.

His departure marks the latest development in a dispute that started in recent years when Ben & Jerry's announced it would stop sales in disputed territories in the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem.

A spokesperson for the ice cream division, which is being separated from Unilever, stated thanks to Greenfield but disagreed with his stance.

A Difficult Choice

Through his letter, Mr Greenfield described departing from the company as "among the toughest and difficult choices" he had taken, adding that he could no longer ethically be part of a business that had been "muzzled" by Unilever.

This occurred even with an agreement that safeguarded the company's ethical values when it joined with the global corporation decades prior.

Company's Response

An official for the ice cream firm stated that the company had been in dialogue with both co-founders before Greenfield's choice to leave.

"We disagree with his perspective and have attempted to engage the two co-founders in a productive conversation on how to bolster the brand's strong values-based standing in the world," they said.

History of Advocacy

Ben & Jerry's has long been known for taking a public stance on social issues since its establishment in the late 70s, often backing movements on issues like LGBTQ+ rights and climate change.

In recent months, Ben & Jerry's claimed that its chief executive, David Stever, was being ousted by Unilever.

The allegation was included in a legal case submitted in a US court by Ben & Jerry's that accused Unilever of violating a merger agreement by attempting to suppress its "ethical advocacy".

This followed claims that Unilever had instructed the company to stop criticizing then-President Donald Trump.

A Unilever spokesperson remarked that the company was "unhappy that the privacy of an employee career conversation has been disclosed".

Additional Events

In May, Mr Cohen was arrested during a protest in the American Senate over foreign assistance to the state of Israel and humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Protesters disrupted the hearing while a government official Robert F Kennedy Jr was testifying.

Cohen was accused with a minor violation, while a number of other demonstrators were also taken into custody and are confronting additional charges, authorities stated.