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Ben & Jerry's's founding member Jerry Greenfield has departed the company after nearly 50 years, escalating an existing disagreement with parent company Unilever.

Through a statement published on online platforms by co-creator Ben Cohen, Mr Greenfield stated that the enterprise had lost its autonomy after Unilever restricted its advocacy efforts.

The exit represents the latest chapter in a controversy that started in recent years when the brand declared it would stop selling in Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem.

An official representative for the ice cream division, which is being separated from Unilever, stated thanks to Greenfield but diverged with his position.

A Difficult Decision

In his message, Greenfield characterized departing from the firm as "one of the hardest and difficult decisions" he had ever made, adding that he could no longer in good conscience be part of a business that had been "silenced" by Unilever.

This was even with an agreement that protected the brand's social mission when it merged with the global corporation 25 years ago.

Corporate Reaction

A spokesperson for The Magnum Ice Cream Company mentioned that the company had been in discussions with both co-founders before Greenfield's choice to leave.

"We differ with his perspective and have sought to involve both founders in a constructive dialogue on how to strengthen the brand's powerful values-based position in the world," they said.

History of Advocacy

Ben & Jerry's has historically been known for taking a public stance on progressive causes since its founding in 1978, often backing movements on topics like LGBTQ+ rights and environmental sustainability.

In recent months, the company claimed that its chief executive, David Stever, was being ousted by Unilever.

The allegation was included in a legal case filed in a US court by Ben & Jerry's that accused Unilever of breaching a merger agreement by attempting to silence its "social mission".

This followed accusations that Unilever had demanded the company to cease criticizing then-President Donald Trump.

A representative stated that the company was "unhappy that the privacy of an employee career conversation has been made public".

Recent Events

Earlier this year, Mr Cohen was detained during a protest in the US Senate over foreign assistance to the state of Israel and crisis situation in Gaza.

Demonstrators interrupted the hearing while a government official Robert Kennedy Jr was speaking.

Cohen was accused with a minor violation, while a number of other protesters were also taken into custody and face additional allegations, authorities stated.