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The original creators behind the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has announced that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate prevented the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that co-founded the company alongside his partner, announced how he plans to independently develop the controversial flavor within a personal series showcasing causes the company was prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Conflict Between Founders versus Parent Company

The recent announcement escalates the continuing conflict among the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the British consumer goods giant that has owned the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain that the parent company and its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Flavor becoming a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur announced via an Instagram video how he is creating a new watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions for the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become a symbol for support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, which closely resemble the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism plus Recent Developments

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business over to a local licensee, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in disputed territories.

The new dessert series is being created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand that was first established several years back for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes and Future Plans

The founder stated that he will create other frozen dessert varieties that address concerns which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, following decades of involvement, citing concerns regarding how the company's autonomy had been undermined after corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked how “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart compels me to keep working within the organization to fight for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can fulfill the social mission, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told journalists.

• Parent company limitations on social activism
• Personal flavor creation from original creators
• Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements among corporate ownership versus ethical values