Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s with – you guessed it – a guy named Ben, has quit the company he helped to start, accusing Unilever of trying to “silence” him on social issues.
Ben & Jerry’s is arguably the most famous ice cream company in the world, first founded by Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen in 1978. With over 558 locations worldwide and over 300 flavours across its nearly 50-year history, Ben & Jerry’s has always used its considerable platform to enact social change on issues such as the ongoing genocide in Gaza, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental issues and Donald Trump.
Unfortunately, 25 years after an acquisition by Unilever in 2000, the company has been forced to take a step back from those same social issues. Jerry wasn’t having any of it and quit.
Credit: Stuart Clarke/Shutterstock
The co-founder quit Ben & Jerry’s with a lengthy statement
In a statement posted to his partner’s social handles on Wednesday, Jerry Greenfield announced that he was stepping back from the company he helped to launch almost 50 years ago.
“It’s with a broken heart that I’ve decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s. I am resigning from the company Ben and I started back in 1978. This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I’ve ever made,” he wrote.
“This isn’t because I’ve lost my love for the people at Ben & Jerry’s. Quite the opposite. The folks who show up every day in our factories, scoop shops, and offices are some of the most passionate, caring, and values-driven people you’ll ever meet. They are the soul of Ben & Jerry’s.”
After 47 years, Jerry has made the difficult decision to step down from the company we built together. I’m sharing his words as he resigns from Ben & Jerry’s. His legacy deserves to be true to our values, not silenced by @MagnumGlobal #FreeBenAndJerrys pic.twitter.com/EZXGRjs76a
— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) September 17, 2025
Instead, Jerry highlighted how addressing social issues, something that Unilever “guaranteed” could continue when they purchased the company, was what made the company “so important to me.”
He continued: “That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity. It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.
“And it’s happening at a time when our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community. Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power. It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose.
“Love, equity, justice. They’re part of who Ben and I are, and they’ve always been the true foundation of Ben & Jerry’s. From the very beginning, Ben and I believed that our values and the pursuit of justice were more important than the company itself. If the company couldn’t stand up for the things we believed, then it wasn’t worth being a company at all.”
ITS JUST BEN’S NOW https://t.co/RwOJCmFPI5
— juno
(@goddfuckingdamn) September 17, 2025
In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s decided to stop selling its products in Israeli settlements, a move Unilever opposed. A lawsuit was launched as a result, and while a settlement was reached in 2022, Ben & Jerry’s has continued to row with its parent company.
Concluding his message, Jerry said: “It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world. Coming to the conclusion that this is no longer possible at Ben & Jerry’s means I can no longer remain part of Ben & Jerry’s. If I can’t carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward outside, with all the love and conviction I can. With love, Jerry.”
Unilever said it would be “forever grateful” for Jerry’s part in launching the brand, but it fundamentally “disagreed with his perspective.”
For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.
Featured image credit: JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock and James D Morgan/Shutterstock
