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One of the co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced that parent company Unilever stopped the launch of a new Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who established the business with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he will personally create this new product within an individual collection showcasing issues the company has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

This latest development deepens the continuing disagreement among the internationally recognized dessert company with its corporate parent, the British consumer goods giant which has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have claimed that Unilever and its ice cream arm the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Sorbet as a Symbol for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen stated via social media that he is creating an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting consumer ideas for naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder commented in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol for support for Palestinians due to its colors, which mirror those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Activism and Current Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of their merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, leading to Unilever transferring the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series is being developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company that originally created several years back to support former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Management Shifts and Future Plans

The founder stated that he plans to develop other ice cream flavors focusing on issues which Ben & Jerry's was silenced from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, after decades of involvement, citing concerns that its independence was undermined following corporate moves to curb their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked that “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart compels me to keep working inside the company to advocate for its independence ensuring that it can achieve its ethical purpose, the values that established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Corporate owner limitations regarding social activism
• Personal product development by company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Continuing disagreements among parent company and ethical values