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The co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has claimed how parent company Unilever prevented the launch for a new pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, revealed how he will personally create this new product within an individual series highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

The recent announcement escalates the continuing tension among the internationally recognized dessert company and Unilever, the British packaged goods giant that acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

Both founders have claimed how Unilever along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked their company against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Sorbet as a Symbol of Support

The entrepreneur revealed via social media that he is creating a new watermelon-based sorbet, asking for consumer ideas for naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” the founder commented in his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

This particular fruit has become an emblem for support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, which closely resemble the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Recent Changes

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within disputed territories.

The new product line will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist ice cream brand that was first created several years back to support former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts plus Upcoming Intentions

Mr. Cohen indicated that he will create additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on concerns which Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement follows partner Mr. Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years of involvement, mentioning worries regarding how the company's autonomy was undermined after corporate moves to restrict its social activism.

At that time, Ben Cohen commented that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience leads me to keep working within the organization to advocate for its independence ensuring that it can actualise the social mission, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company limitations on social activism
• Personal flavor creation by original creators
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements between parent company versus ethical values