Tension between ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's and parent company Unilever is nothing new. Since the company acquired B & J's back in 2000, the two have clashed over the brand's outspoken stance on political matters and Unilever’s alleged attempts to suppress Ben & Jerry’s progressive social mission, including reportedly blocking statements on issues like Palestinian rights, climate justice, and criticisms of President Trump.
Although owned by Unilever, Ben & Jerry's has been run by an independent board since the sale. Things have seem to have come to a head now, as Ben & Jerry's is suing Unilever for firing CEO David Stever without, they say, approval of the board, which they claim is a violation of the agreement originally signed in 2000. In the complaint, Ben & Jerry's claims that Unilever fired Stever due to his outspoken approach to political issues, while Unilever claims that the firing was due to Stever's commitment to the company's social mission over his job performance. However, the Ben & Jerry's complaint states that the company outperformed Unilever's ice cream portfolio since Stever took the position in 2023.
This isn't the first lawsuit Ben & Jerry's has brought against its parent company. Back in November 2024, the company alleged that "Unilever tried to dismantle the ice cream maker’s independent board and to stop it from taking certain political stances, including calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, supporting U.S. students protesting civilian deaths in the territory and urging an end to U.S. military aid to Israel," according to The New York Times. This complaint has since been amended to include Stever's allegedly unjust firing.
Ben & Jerry's has long been embroiled in political matters. Even its homepage has an entire section dedicated to activism, supporting causes such as human rights, social and economic justice, and environmental protection. The company has launched limited-edition ice cream flavors like Churn Out The Vote!, Change the Whirled, and Justice ReMix'd. There's no telling how this turn of events will affect the beloved company, but we'll be paying attention, spoon in hand.
