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The original creators behind the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has stated how parent company Unilever stopped the launch of an innovative pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who co-founded the business alongside his partner, disclosed that he will independently develop this new flavor as part of a personal series highlighting causes the company has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Between Creators versus Parent Company

The recent development intensifies the continuing tension between the world-famous dessert company and Unilever, the British consumer goods corporation which acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

Both founders have asserted that Unilever and its ice cream arm the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company from "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Flavor becoming a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur announced via an Instagram video how he's developing a new watermelon-based frozen dessert, requesting public suggestions for naming options plus additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that calls for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem of support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, that match the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Current Developments

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company transferring the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within the occupied West Bank.

The new product line will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious dessert company that was first established several years back to support ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Shifts plus Future Intentions

The founder stated that he plans to develop other frozen dessert varieties that address issues which the company was silenced from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement follows partner Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company recently, following many years with the organization, citing concerns that the company's autonomy was compromised following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked that “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to keep working within the organization to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can achieve the social mission, the values which established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner restrictions on political advocacy
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as social statement
• Ongoing tensions among corporate ownership and social mission