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One of the co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has claimed how parent company Unilever stopped the launch of an innovative pro-Palestinian ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, who established the company with Jerry Greenfield, revealed that he will independently develop the controversial flavor as part of a personal collection highlighting issues the company was barred from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Conflict Between Founders and Parent Company

This latest development escalates the ongoing conflict among the internationally recognized ice cream maker with Unilever, the British packaged goods corporation that acquired the ice cream brand for over two decades.

The co-founders have claimed how the parent company along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Flavor becoming a Symbol for Support

The entrepreneur announced through social media how he's developing an innovative watermelon-based frozen dessert, asking for consumer ideas regarding naming options plus additional components.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen stated from a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine while demanding addressing the harm that was done there.”

This particular fruit has become an emblem for support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, which mirror those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Social Engagement plus Recent Changes

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in areas under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution in disputed territories.

The new product line is being developed under Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand which was first created several years back for endorsing former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Leadership Shifts plus Upcoming Plans

The founder stated how he will develop other frozen dessert varieties that address concerns which the company was silenced from addressing publicly due to Unilever.

The announcement follows co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September, following many years of involvement, mentioning worries that the company's autonomy had been undermined after corporate moves to curb its social activism.

At that time, Ben Cohen stated that "Jerry has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to keep working within the organization to fight for its independence ensuring that it can actualise the social mission, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for decades," he told journalists.

• Parent company limitations regarding social activism
• Personal product development by original creators
• The fruit-based product as social statement
• Ongoing tensions between corporate ownership versus social mission