Keep pulling the thread on Ben Cohen.
The 2000 acquisition agreement for Ben & Jerry's by Unilever established an independent board of directors with perpetual legal authority over the brand's social mission, product quality, and trademark use.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry's, with agreement from its independent board and Unilever, decided to cease sales in the occupied West Bank.
Ben Cohen alleges that the head of Israel's government threatened the CEO of Unilever with the expulsion of all Unilever businesses from Israel if Ben & Jerry's did not reverse its decision to halt sales in the West Bank.
Following its decision to halt sales in the West Bank, Unilever sold the rights to the Ben & Jerry's brand in Israel, an action Ben Cohen claims was outside of Unilever's authority.
In July 2025, Unilever spun off its entire ice cream division, including Ben & Jerry's, into a new entity called the Magnum Ice Cream Company.
The Ben & Jerry's brand accounts for approximately 10% to 15% of the Magnum Ice Cream Company's total sales.
Ben Cohen alleges that Magnum's management has forbidden the Ben & Jerry's brand from criticizing Donald Trump.
Ben Cohen believes Magnum is destroying the value of the Ben & Jerry's brand by preventing it from fully actualizing its social mission.
A spokesperson for Magnum stated that Ben & Jerry's is not for sale.
According to a Magnum spokesperson, Ben & Jerry's sales grew 3% in the last year, and the brand gained market share in the US and Europe.
Unilever acquired the publicly-traded company Ben & Jerry's in 2000.
The Magnum Ice Cream Company is a €9 billion company.