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The co-founders of the well-known ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has claimed how parent company the multinational conglomerate prevented the launch of a new Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the company alongside Jerry Greenfield, revealed that he will independently develop the controversial product as part of a personal collection highlighting causes the company was prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Between Creators and Corporate Owner

This latest development deepens the ongoing tension among the world-famous ice cream maker with its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods giant which has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed how Unilever along with its ice cream arm the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked their company against "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Flavor becoming a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur revealed through social media that he's developing an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions for the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen stated from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

This particular fruit has emerged as an emblem for support for Palestinians due to its colors, that mirror the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Activism plus Recent Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company transferring their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be developed under Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious dessert company that was first created several years back for endorsing former political contender Senator Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts and Upcoming Intentions

Mr. Cohen revealed that he will create additional frozen dessert varieties that address concerns which the company was silenced from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's recently, after many years with the organization, citing concerns that its independence had been compromised following corporate moves to restrict its social activism.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked that “My partner has strong compassion and this conflict with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on while upholding for decades," he told journalists.

• Parent company limitations on political advocacy
• Personal product development by company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Continuing tensions among corporate ownership versus social mission