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The original creators of the well-known frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has claimed that corporate owner the multinational conglomerate blocked the introduction for a new Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who established the company alongside his partner, revealed that he will independently develop this new product within an individual collection showcasing issues the company has been barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Involving Founders and Parent Company

This latest development intensifies the ongoing tension among the world-famous dessert company and Unilever, the British packaged goods giant that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

The co-founders have claimed how Unilever along with its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's against "maintaining its activist principles".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol of Solidarity

Mr. Cohen announced via an Instagram video how he is creating an innovative watermelon-based sorbet, requesting public suggestions for the product's name and additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen commented from his kitchen. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has emerged as an emblem for support for the Palestinian people due to its colors, which closely resemble those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Previous Social Engagement and Recent Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, resulting in Unilever selling their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales within disputed territories.

The new dessert series is being created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious dessert company which originally established in 2016 to support former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Changes plus Upcoming Plans

The founder revealed that he plans to develop other ice cream flavors that address issues that the company was prevented from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

The announcement comes after partner Mr. Greenfield resigned from the company in September, after decades with the organization, mentioning worries regarding how the company's autonomy was undermined after corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked how “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to fight for its independence ensuring that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company limitations regarding political advocacy
• Independent flavor creation by original creators
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements between corporate ownership and ethical values