Ben & Jerry’s, the ice cream company known for its social activism and quirky flavors, is about to change corporate hands next month. But for Ben Cohen, one of the co-founders, the switch from Unilever to Magnum Ice Cream Co. won’t bring big changes to how the brand is managed—at least not when it comes to conflicts over its social mission.
Starting in November, Magnum will officially own Ben & Jerry’s after it splits from its current parent company, Unilever. But Cohen says the same leadership behind Unilever will continue to clamp down on Ben & Jerry’s ability to speak out on causes it cares about, like Palestinian rights and US immigration policy. He claims Magnum is just as restrictive as Unilever was, and the same executives are involved.
Last year, Ben & Jerry’s even filed a lawsuit alleging that Unilever broke an agreement meant to protect the ice cream maker’s independence and its focus on social issues. Cohen told Reuters that there’s been no real change in how the company is being “muzzled” under Magnum. Meanwhile, Magnum counters that it has only reviewed about 2% of Ben & Jerry’s social media posts and says it tries to balance messaging within the agreed social mission.
Peter ter Kulve, the former head of Unilever’s ice cream division and now Magnum’s CEO, is at the center of the controversy. According to documents from the lawsuit, he reportedly banned Ben & Jerry’s from posting statements that criticized former President Donald Trump. Cohen says the conflict will likely intensify after the spinoff, as Ben & Jerry’s will make up a bigger part of Magnum’s business.
Ben & Jerry’s brought in roughly 1.1 billion euros ($1.28 billion) in revenue in 2024, making it the third-largest brand within Magnum, which had total revenue of 7.9 billion euros. By comparison, Unilever’s overall revenue was 60.8 billion euros last year.
Cohen is determined to buy back the brand he started in 1978 with Jerry Greenfield. He has planned an offer between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, although he says Unilever and Magnum have not shared key financial information needed to make the deal happen. Magnum, for its part, says Ben & Jerry’s is not for sale.
Ben & Jerry’s became famous for fun flavors like “Cherry Garcia,” named after the Grateful Dead guitarist, and “Wavy Gravy,” a nod to a Woodstock entertainer and peace activist. The founders sold the company to Unilever in 2000, but ongoing clashes over politics and activism have caused tension.
Jerry Greenfield, the other co-founder, recently resigned as a brand ambassador to protest Unilever’s conduct. The conflict came to a head in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s decided to stop selling ice cream in the West Bank, a move that sparked controversy.
For Cohen, the fight to preserve Ben & Jerry’s voice on social causes is far from over, even with a new corporate owner on the horizon. “They want the profits without dealing with the stands we take,” he said. The coming months will show how much control the brand can hold over its values under Magnum’s roof.