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Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s has called Israel’s actions in Gaza genocide, a move that risks escalating a legal dispute with parent company Unilever over the brand’s political activism.
“Ben & Jerry’s believes in human rights and advocates for peace, and we join with those around the world who denounce the genocide in Gaza,” the company’s independent board said in a statement shared with the Financial Times.
The statement is likely to further fray relations between the ice cream maker and Unilever, which has owned the brand since 2000.
Ben & Jerry’s, which is due to be separated from Unilever as part of a spin-off of the group’s ice cream business later this year, is suing its parent company for attempting to silence its activism on Gaza.
In a series of legal complaints filed in a New York court, Ben & Jerry’s has claimed that the consumer goods group is threatening to dismantle its independent board and has silenced the brand over its support for Palestinian refugees. Unilever has rejected the claims.
As part of the $326mn sale of the brand to Unilever in 2000, the two sides reached an agreement that protects Ben & Jerry’s independent board and its mandate to set the company’s “social mission”.
Most recently, the board claimed that Unilever fired Ben & Jerry’s chief executive after less than two years in the role after he failed to comply with efforts to stop the brand speaking out on political issues.
The legal dispute is the latest in a long-running spat between the brand and its owner over Israel and Palestine. In 2022, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever for trying to block its attempts to discontinue sales of ice cream in occupied territories.
“We stand with all who raise their voices against genocide in Gaza — from petition-signers to street marchers to those risking arrest,” the board said in the statement.
Unilever said it “supports efforts for a peaceful resolution and the end of violence to conflicts around the world”.
“Unilever is in litigation with the [Ben and Jerry’s] Board and will not comment on its positions,” it added.
The separated ice cream company will be called The Magnum Ice Cream Company. Its primary listing will be in Amsterdam with further listings in London and New York.
