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The original creators behind the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has announced how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate stopped the launch of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that co-founded the business alongside Jerry Greenfield, announced that he plans to independently develop the controversial flavor within an individual collection highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's was barred from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

This latest development escalates the continuing conflict between the internationally recognized dessert company with Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods giant that acquired the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders maintain how the parent company along with its ice cream arm Magnum unlawfully blocked their company from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Sorbet as an Emblem of Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated via social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for naming options and additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has become an emblem of support for Palestinians because of its colors, which match the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Current Changes

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, leading to Unilever transferring their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within disputed territories.

The new product line is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand which originally created in 2016 to support ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts plus Upcoming Plans

The founder indicated that he plans to develop other frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues that Ben & Jerry's was silenced from addressing publicly due to corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's recently, following decades with the organization, citing concerns regarding how its independence had been undermined following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen stated how "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to keep working within the organization to fight for its independence ensuring that the company can achieve its ethical purpose, the principles which established its foundation and has maintained for over 40 years," he told journalists.

• Parent company restrictions on social activism
• Independent product development from original creators
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements among corporate ownership versus social mission