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One of the co-founders of the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate stopped the launch for an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the business with Jerry Greenfield, revealed how he plans to independently develop this new product as part of an individual series showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Between Founders and Parent Company

The recent announcement intensifies the ongoing disagreement between the world-famous ice cream maker with Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods corporation which acquired the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders maintain that Unilever and its ice cream arm Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Flavor becoming an Emblem for Support

Mr. Cohen announced via an Instagram video how he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, requesting public suggestions for naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder declared in a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has become an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian people due to its colors, that match those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Activism plus Current Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in areas under Israeli control, resulting in Unilever selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution in the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming dessert series will be created through Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company which was first created in 2016 to support former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Changes plus Future Intentions

The founder indicated how he plans to develop additional ice cream flavors focusing on concerns which the company was silenced from addressing publicly due to corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's in September, after many years of involvement, mentioning concerns that the company's autonomy had been undermined after Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen commented that "Jerry has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it."

“My conscience compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for its independence so that it can fulfill the social mission, the values which it was founded on while upholding for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company restrictions regarding social activism
• Independent product development from original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Continuing disagreements between corporate ownership versus social mission