Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield left the popular ice cream brand he started in 1978 amid a dispute with Unilever, according to post online.
Co-founder Ben Cohen announced the shocking news Tuesday on X on his behalf, including a screenshot of a statement from Greenfield saying it was “one of the hardest and most painful decisions” he has made. Greenfield accused Unilever of blocking the brand’s ability to publicly speak about social and political causes that had become synonymous with the brand’s identity.
“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,” Greenfield’s statement read.
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
Greenfield and Cohen sold Ben & Jerry’s to Unilever in 2000 and remained as brand ambassadors, Reuters reported. According to Greenfield, their agreement included their “independence to pursue [their] values,” but their relationship broke down over time.
Tension between the parties grew in 2021, when Ben & Jerry’s ended sales in the West Bank, Reuters reported. That triggered public backlash and sparked a battle with Unilever over the brand’s independence and messaging.
