Woke Ben & Jerry’s founders make stunning move as they feud with parent company Unilever about Trump
The founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream want to buy back their namesake brand from its owners Unilever, according to reports.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have begun initial discussions for a buyback deal, sources told Bloomberg.
Bosses at the ice-cream company are in a stand-off with its parent company after Unilever reportedly banned them from criticizing President Trump and his policies.
Many companies have rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies or appeared to show deference toward Trump since he began his second White House term.
Ben & Jerry’s however has had a socially conscious mission since being founded in Burlington, Vermont in 1978.
Its sale to Unilever for $326million in 2000 gave power over its social justice mission to an independent board, which has continued to pursue causes that have put them at odds with their parent company.
Unilever has been publicly locked in a battle with the business since 2021, when the ice-cream brand halted sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Its founders now want to team up with socially minded investors in any buyback, Bloomberg reported.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have begun initial discussions to buy Ben and Jerry’s back from Unilever
Departing Unilever boss Hein Schumacher
The company could be valued at several billion dollars in a sale meaning Cohen and Greenfield would need to raise serious capital to execute their plans.
Plans for a buyback come just days after Unilever ousted its CEO Hein Schumacher, who is set to depart next month after less than two years in the top job.
Schumacher had led the efforts to offload Ben & Jerry’s, announcing plans earlier this month to spin it off with a stock market listing in Amsterdam, alongside additional listings in London and New York.
Unilever has faced increasing pressure from shareholders – such as activist investor Nelson Peltz – over a flagging performance.
Shares fell after a poorly received set of annual results earlier this month.
‘As confirmed during our 2024 FY results announcement, we are on track to separate the ice cream business by way of a demerger,’ a spokesperson for Unilever told Bloomberg.
‘Ben & Jerry’s is an important part of the ice cream business, and it’s not for sale.’
Ben & Jerry’s did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
