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Ben & Jerry's's co-founder Jerry Greenfield has left the firm after nearly 50 years, escalating an existing conflict with parent company Unilever.

In a statement posted on social media by fellow co-founder Ben Cohen, Greenfield asserted that the company no longer possessed its independence after Unilever curtailed its social activism.

The exit represents the latest chapter in a dispute that started in 2021 when Ben & Jerry's announced it would stop selling in disputed territories in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.

An official representative for the ice cream division, which is being spun off from Unilever, expressed thanks to Greenfield but diverged with his stance.

A Difficult Decision

Through his message, Greenfield characterized leaving the firm as "among the toughest and difficult decisions" he had taken, adding that he could no longer in good conscience be part of a organization that had been "muzzled" by Unilever.

This was even with an arrangement that safeguarded the company's social mission when it merged with the consumer goods giant decades prior.

Corporate Reaction

An official for The Magnum Ice Cream Company stated that the organization had been in discussions with both co-founders before Mr Greenfield's choice to depart.

"We disagree with his perspective and have sought to involve the two founders in a constructive conversation on how to bolster Ben & Jerry's's powerful principle-driven position in the world," they said.

Long-Standing Advocacy

The company has long been known for advocating publicly on progressive causes since its establishment in the late 70s, often backing campaigns on topics like equality rights and climate change.

In recent months, Ben & Jerry's claimed that its chief executive, David Stever, was being ousted by Unilever.

The allegation was included in a lawsuit submitted in a American court by the brand that accused Unilever of violating a merger agreement by attempting to suppress its "social mission".

It came after accusations that Unilever had instructed the firm to cease publicly criticising US President Donald Trump.

A Unilever spokesperson remarked that the company was "disappointed that the privacy of an employee career conversation has been made public".

Recent Events

In May, Mr Cohen was arrested during a protest in the US Senate over military aid to the state of Israel and crisis situation in Gaza.

Demonstrators interrupted the session while a government official Robert F Kennedy Jr was testifying.

Cohen was accused with a misdemeanour offence, while a number of other demonstrators were also arrested and face more serious allegations, law enforcement reported.