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The co-founders behind the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has claimed how parent company the multinational conglomerate stopped the introduction for an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the business alongside his partner, announced that he plans to personally create the controversial product as part of a personal collection showcasing causes the company has been barred from addressing publicly.

Ongoing Dispute Involving Creators and Parent Company

The recent development escalates the ongoing tension between the internationally recognized ice cream maker and Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation which has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain how the parent company along with its ice cream arm the Magnum brand improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur revealed through an Instagram video how he is creating a new watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions for the product's name and additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder commented from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol of support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, that match those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Social Engagement and Current Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, resulting in Unilever selling their Israel business to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales in disputed territories.

The new dessert series is being developed under Ben's Best, the activist dessert company that originally created in 2016 for endorsing ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the product "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Changes and Upcoming Plans

Mr. Cohen indicated how he plans to create other frozen dessert varieties that address issues which the company was prevented from addressing publicly due to Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, following decades with the organization, mentioning worries that the company's autonomy had been undermined following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

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

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that it can actualise its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on while upholding for decades," he told media outlets.

• Corporate owner limitations regarding political advocacy
• Independent product development by company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Continuing disagreements among parent company versus social mission