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The co-founders behind the well-known frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate prevented the introduction for a new pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the company alongside Jerry Greenfield, announced how he will independently develop the controversial flavor within a personal series highlighting issues Ben & Jerry's was prevented from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Between Creators versus Parent Company

The recent development escalates the continuing tension among the world-famous dessert company and its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that acquired Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have claimed that Unilever along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked their company against "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol of Solidarity

Mr. Cohen announced through social media that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas for the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen declared from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for lasting ceasefire for Palestinians while demanding addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has emerged as a symbol of support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, which closely resemble those of Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Activism and Current Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in territories under Israeli control, resulting in Unilever selling the Israeli operation over to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

The new product line is being created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand that originally created several years back for endorsing ex- political contender Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes plus Future Plans

Mr. Cohen stated that he will create additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues that the company was prevented from addressing publicly by corporate restrictions.

This development comes after partner Mr. Greenfield resigned his position at the company in September, after many years with the organization, citing concerns that its independence had been compromised following Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen commented how “My partner has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise the social mission, the values which it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company limitations on social activism
• Independent product development by original creators
• Watermelon flavor serving as social statement
• Continuing disagreements between corporate ownership versus social mission