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The original creators behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben and Jerry's has announced that parent company the multinational conglomerate prevented the launch of a new pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

The entrepreneur, that co-founded the business with his partner, revealed how he plans to personally create the controversial flavor within an individual collection showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's has been barred from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Creators versus Parent Company

The recent announcement escalates the ongoing tension between the world-famous dessert company with its corporate parent, the UK-based packaged goods corporation that has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

Both founders have asserted how Unilever along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Flavor as a Symbol for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen announced through an Instagram video how he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, asking for consumer ideas regarding the product's name and potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated from a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored ice cream that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that was done there.”

The watermelon has become a symbol for solidarity with Palestinians because of its colors, that mirror those of Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Social Engagement plus Current Changes

In 2021, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to Unilever transferring the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting continued sales within disputed territories.

The new dessert series will be developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally established several years back to support former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders with the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes plus Future Intentions

The founder stated how he will create other ice cream flavors that address concerns which the company was prevented from addressing publicly due to Unilever.

The announcement follows partner Mr. Greenfield resigned his position at the company recently, after decades of involvement, mentioning concerns regarding how the company's autonomy had been undermined following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked that “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was breaking it."

"My heart compels me to keep working within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can fulfill its ethical purpose, the values that established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company restrictions regarding political advocacy
• Independent product development from company founders
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Ongoing disagreements between parent company versus ethical values