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One of the co-founders of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced that corporate owner Unilever blocked the launch for an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company alongside his partner, disclosed that he plans to personally create the controversial flavor within an individual collection showcasing causes the company has been barred from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Conflict Involving Founders versus Parent Company

The recent announcement intensifies the continuing disagreement among the internationally recognized dessert company and Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation which has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

Both founders have asserted that Unilever and their ice cream division Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol of Support

The entrepreneur stated through social media that he's developing a new watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder declared from his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as an emblem of support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, that match the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Historical Social Engagement and Current Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in territories occupied by Israel, resulting in Unilever selling their Israel business over to a local licensee, thus allowing ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the activist dessert company that originally created in 2016 to support former political contender Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts plus Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen indicated that he plans to create additional ice cream flavors that address issues which Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

This development follows partner Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, following decades with the organization, mentioning worries that the company's autonomy had been compromised following corporate moves to curb its social activism.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked how "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence ensuring that it can actualise the social mission, the values which established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company limitations on social activism
• Independent product development by company founders
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Ongoing tensions among parent company versus social mission