Ben & Jerry’s has accused parent company Unilever of stifling its efforts to publicly support Palestinian refugees, alleging in a recent lawsuit that Unilever threatened to dissolve its board and take legal action against its members over the issue.
This lawsuit, filed Wednesday, highlights the ongoing tension between the Vermont-based ice cream brand and Unilever, which has announced plans to spin off its ice cream business next year. This spin-off would include Ben & Jerry’s, known for popular flavors like Chubby Hubby, but corporate governance experts suggest that the brand’s board could complicate the deal due to its independent stance.
The rift dates back to 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s announced it would halt sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, citing inconsistency with its values. The decision led some investors to divest from Unilever.
In response, Unilever sold its Israeli business to a local licensee, enabling continued sales in both Israel and the West Bank—a move that Ben & Jerry’s challenged in court. The dispute was settled in 2022, with Unilever agreeing to “respect and acknowledge” the Ben & Jerry’s board’s role in overseeing the brand’s social mission.
However, Ben & Jerry’s now claims Unilever has violated this settlement by blocking the board’s attempts to express support for human rights. According to the lawsuit, Ben & Jerry’s tried four times to make public statements supporting peace and advocating for Palestinian refugees, only to be silenced by Unilever.
Responding to the lawsuit, Unilever stated, “Our heart goes out to all victims of the tragic events in the Middle East. We reject the claims made by B&J’s social mission board and will defend our case vigorously.”
The lawsuit details several specific instances in which Ben & Jerry’s wanted to publicly call for a ceasefire, support safe passage for Palestinian refugees to Britain, back student protests in the U.S. against civilian deaths in Gaza, and advocate for a halt in U.S. military aid to Israel—all efforts Unilever reportedly blocked.
Peter ter Kulve, Unilever’s head of ice cream, reportedly raised concerns over the “perception of anti-Semitism” that could arise from Ben & Jerry’s statements on Palestinian issues.
Additionally, under the terms of the 2022 settlement, Unilever agreed to provide $5 million for Ben & Jerry’s to donate to human rights groups. The brand chose organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, among others, according to the lawsuit.
