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One of the co-founders behind the well-known frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has claimed that parent company the multinational conglomerate blocked the introduction of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who established the company alongside his partner, revealed that he will personally create this new flavor as part of a personal series highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Between Creators and Parent Company

The recent announcement deepens the ongoing disagreement among the internationally recognized dessert company with its corporate parent, the British packaged goods corporation which acquired Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain how Unilever and its ice cream arm the Magnum brand improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur revealed through social media how he's developing a new watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting public suggestions regarding naming options and additional components.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen commented from his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as an emblem for solidarity with the Palestinian people due to its colors, which mirror the colors in Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Social Engagement and Recent Developments

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in areas under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company selling their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series is being developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company that was first created in 2016 for endorsing ex- political contender Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Shifts and Future Intentions

The founder revealed that he plans to create additional ice cream flavors focusing on concerns which Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly by Unilever.

This development comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's recently, following decades of involvement, citing concerns that its independence had been undermined following Unilever's decision to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen stated that "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence ensuring that the company can achieve the social mission, the values which it was founded on while upholding for decades," he told media outlets.

• Parent company limitations regarding social activism
• Personal flavor creation by company founders
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Ongoing tensions among corporate ownership versus social mission