One crucial half of the iconic Ben & Jerry’s brand is no longer in the picture — and fans are not OK about it. On the night of Sept. 16, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield announced he’s resigning from his role in the company. In an open letter to fans of the brand, he said this was “one of the hardest and most painful decisions” he’s ever had to make. So, why did Greenfield resign, and why is his departure from the company causing fans online to repeat the phrase, “Free Ben & Jerry’s?” Here’s a breakdown of what’s been going on behind the scenes.
First, the backstory: Greenfield and his business partner, Ben Cohen, founded Ben & Jerry’s back in 1978 in Burlington, Vermont. The two men have long been politically active, speaking up for causes including gun violence, criminal justice reform, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and more. As their brand’s platform grew, they often used it to further their causes, and Ben & Jerry’s became known as a leading voice in social activism. When Ben & Jerry’s was acquired by major consumer goods company Unilever in 2000, Greenfield and Cohen stipulated that their company would still be permitted to be involved in activism in this way.
However, Greenfield and Cohen have been claiming that Unilever is no longer allowing Ben & Jerry’s the independence they believe the brand is owed. Greenfield’s letter did not specify the exact social issues he felt “silenced” and “sidelined” about, but his resignation does come after months of legal battles between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever, primarily over disagreements regarding speaking out about the war in Gaza. The fact that Unilever is merging Ben & Jerry’s into another company, the Magnum Ice Cream Company (a move that Greenfield and Cohen have been publicly protesting) has only escalated the tension, to the point that Greenfield resigned.
“For more than 20 years under [Unilever’s] ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world,” Greenfield wrote in his letter, which was shared on social media by Cohen. “That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity. It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”
In a statement to ABC, a rep from the Magnum Ice Cream Company thanked Greenfield for his service and support over the decades, and added, “We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world. We remain committed to Ben & Jerry’s unique three-part mission — product, economic and social — and remain focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand.”
As part of Greenfield and Cohen’s movement to regain corporate independence, they’ve been using the phrase “Free Ben & Jerry’s” to drum up support. Now, in solidarity with Greenfield, more fans than ever have taken to dropping “Free Ben & Jerry’s” in the comments section of recent Ben & Jerry’s social media posts.
As of Sept. 17, it’s not immediately clear what the fallout from Greenfield’s resignation will be, or whether Cohen will follow suit. A few fans online have called for a boycott of Ben & Jerry’s; however, others have pointed out that a boycott might not be the most effective way to support the brand. Those interested in learning more can check out the Free Ben & Jerry’s website for more info.