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The co-founders of the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has stated that parent company Unilever stopped the introduction for an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the company alongside his partner, disclosed that he will personally create this new product within an individual collection showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's has been barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

The recent development deepens the ongoing tension between the world-famous ice cream maker with Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation which acquired Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

The co-founders have claimed how the parent company and its ice cream arm Magnum unlawfully blocked their company against "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Flavor as an Emblem for Support

The entrepreneur announced via an Instagram video that he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions regarding the product's name and additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen stated in his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem of support for Palestinians due to its coloration, which mirror those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Activism plus Recent Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell its products in territories occupied by Israel, resulting in Unilever selling the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in disputed territories.

The new dessert series will be created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand that originally established several years back for endorsing ex- political contender Senator Sanders with the product "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Changes and Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen stated that he will create other ice cream flavors focusing on issues which the company was prevented from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

This development follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's recently, following decades with the organization, mentioning worries that its independence was compromised after corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked how “My partner has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that it can actualise the social mission, the values which established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company limitations on political advocacy
• Independent flavor creation by company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
• Continuing tensions between corporate ownership versus ethical values