Ben & Jerry’s co‑founder resigns, says brand ‘silenced’ by parent company

Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, announced he is resigning from the business after saying the company has been “silenced” by its parent company, Unilever.

Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000. As part of the merger agreement, Ben & Jerry’s would continue its social advocacy as part of its brand.

"Neither of us could have anticipated, twenty years ago, that a major multinational would some day sign on, enthusiastically, to pursue and expand the social mission that continues to be an essential part of Ben & Jerry’s and a driving force behind our many successes. But today, Unilever has done just that," co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield wrote in the merger documents. "While we and others certainly would have preferred to pursue our mission as an independen