Steph Deschamps / September 21, 2025
Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of American ice cream company Ben & Jerry's, has decided to leave the group founded in 1978. The announcement was made official on Tuesday evening on the social network X (formerly Twitter) by the other co-founder, Ben Cohen.
“It's one of the most difficult and painful decisions I've ever had to make,” explained Jerry Greenfield, who is on the outs with British food giant Unilever, which bought the ice cream brand in 2000 for $326 million.
Ben & Jerry's is known as much for its original fragrances as for the progressive social ideals the brand has promoted since its inception nearly 50 years ago.
Following Unilever's takeover of the brand and its integration into the multinational's ice cream division, it was agreed that an independent board would continue to protect the company's social values.
However, Unilever recently restructured its ice cream division, which has been called Magnum Ice Cream Company since July 1, with a view to a stock market flotation. Earlier this year, the founders of Ben & Jerry's indicated that they were considering a takeover of their brand, but Unilever quickly dismissed the idea.
In his statement, Jerry Greenfield believes that the independence promised by Unilever has disappeared. “And this at a time when our country's government is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of migrants, women and the LGBTQIA+ community,” said the co-founder.