Ben & Jerry’s co-founders are reportedly exploring the possibility of buying back their brand, citing concerns that its corporate owner, Unilever, has stifled the company’s social activism.
According to Inc.'s Bruce Crumley, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are “reportedly looking to reacquire the beloved ice cream brand, claiming its corporate owner has muzzled the company's social activism.” Per a report in Bloomberg, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are "exploring possibilities to repurchase the company they sold in 2000 to Unilever for $326 million.”
In January, Ben & Jerry’s filed a lawsuit against Unilever, arguing that the parent company had violated a settlement agreement by “inappropriately halting Ben & Jerry’s social mission,” according to court documents.
“Specifically, during the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 18,000 innocent Palestinian children, Ben & Jerry’s has on four occasions attempted to publicly speak out in support of peace and human rights,” the lawsuit states. Unilever has silenced each of these efforts.”
The suit also details additional instances of alleged censorship, including efforts to “resist the Trump administration” that were reportedly blocked following his November 2024 election victory.
Despite the co-founders’ reported interest in reacquiring the brand, Unilever appears unwilling to sell. In a statement to Bloomberg, the company said, “Ben & Jerry’s is an important part of the ice cream business, and it’s not for sale.”
