Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Resigns: Here Are the Causes and Details

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the iconic ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, surprisingly announced his retirement on September 17, 2025.

This decision comes after 47 years with the company he built, marking a new chapter in the long-running dispute between Ben & Jerry's and its parent company, Unilever.

Greenfield's resignation was announced in an open letter posted by his co-founder, Ben Cohen, on the social media platform X.

In the letter, Greenfield openly criticized Unilever.

In his letter, Mr Greenfield said leaving the firm was "one of the hardest and most painful decisions" he had ever made but he could no longer "in good conscience" work for a business that had been "silenced" by Unilever.

Jerry Greenfield, the co-founder of the Ben & Jerry's ice cream brand, has officially quit the business after he said he concluded that his core values of spreading love and fighting for equity and justice are "no longer possible" at the company. https://t.co/cQrfmQIZFy pic.twitter.com/MosKf93OKC

— ABC News (@ABC) September 18, 2025

Jerry Greenfield stated that he could no longer continue his role at Ben & Jerry's in "good conscience."

He argued that Unilever had stifled the brand's independence in speaking out on social issues, a promise it was supposed to protect during the 2000 acquisition.

This criticism was not only directed at Unilever but also at the US government administration.

Greenfield accused the administration of attacking civil rights, voting rights, immigrant rights, and the rights of women and the LGBTQ community.

He felt that Ben & Jerry's had been silenced and sidelined, likely for fear of offending those in power.

Speaking to Radio 4, Ben Cohen said that "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence so that it can actualise the social mission, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years", he told the PM programme.

After 47 years, Jerry has made the difficult decision to step down from the company we built together. I’m sharing his words as he resigns from Ben & Jerry’s. His legacy deserves to be true to our values, not silenced by @MagnumGlobal #FreeBenAndJerrys pic.twitter.com/EZXGRjs76a

— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) September 17, 2025

In response to Greenfield's resignation, a spokesperson for Magnum Ice Cream Company, a subsidiary of Unilever, expressed gratitude for Greenfield's contributions.

However, they also strongly disagreed with Greenfield's perspective.

Unilever reiterated its commitment to Ben & Jerry's mission and its focus on continuing the brand's legacy, known for its slogan "peace, love, and ice cream."

A spokesperson for The Magnum Ice Cream Company said the firm had been in dialogue with the two founders before Mr Greenfield's decision to leave.

"We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry's powerful values-based position in the world," they said.

Greenfield's resignation culminated in a long-running dispute between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever.

One notable incident was a lawsuit filed by Ben & Jerry's against Unilever in November 2024.

The lawsuit accused Unilever of suppressing Ben & Jerry's statements supporting Palestinians regarding the conflict in Gaza, indicating a serious strain on the brand's freedom of expression.

Furthermore, Ben & Jerry's also claimed that Unilever refused permission to publish social media posts identifying issues it believed would be opposed during a potential second term for President Donald Trump.

These issues included the minimum wage, universal healthcare, abortion, and climate change, all of which are part of Ben & Jerry's social advocacy.

Since its founding in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in Burlington, Vermont, Ben & Jerry's has been known not only for its delicious ice cream but also for its strong commitment to social mission.

The company operates with a three-part, interconnected mission:

• Product Mission: To create the highest quality ice cream with natural ingredients and a 'euphoric blend,' while promoting environmentally responsible business practices.
• Economic Mission: To operate financially sustainably, generate profitable growth, and enhance career development opportunities for employees.
• Social Mission: To use the company innovatively to improve the quality of life locally, nationally, and internationally, including by advancing human rights, social justice, and protecting the Earth's natural systems. Ben & Jerry's believes that ice cream can be used to change the world.

These core values ​​have been the foundation for all of Ben & Jerry's decisions and campaigns over the years.

Ben & Jerry's commitment to ethics extends beyond social activism and is also reflected in their ingredient selection.

Ben & Jerry's was the first ice cream company to use Fairtrade-certified ingredients, ensuring farmers receive a fair price.

They are also committed to non-GMO ingredients, cage-free eggs, and using fresh milk from Vermont.

In 2022, they became the first ice cream company to join Tony's Open Chain, ensuring fully traceable cocoa beans for farmer justice.

Ben & Jerry's and its founders are known for their active social justice advocacy.

They use their brand to support various causes, such as refugee rights, LGBTQ+ rights, Fairtrade, climate justice, and criminal justice reform.

In addition to its social mission, Ben & Jerry's is also known for its innovative, unique, and high-quality ice cream flavors.

They offer a wide variety of flavors, from traditional dairy ice cream to non-dairy (vegan) and gluten-free options.

Popular flavors like The Tonight Dough, Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough have become favorites for many.

This innovative flavor, combined with its social commitment, has made Ben & Jerry's a beloved and respected brand worldwide.