Ben & Jerry's co-founder quits, says independence "gone" under British giant Unilever

The co-founder of Ben & Jerry's has resigned from the ice cream brand after saying his company, known for its social activism, has lost "the independence to pursue our values" under the ownership of British giant Unilever.

Jerry Greenfield's announcement follows the company's failure in 2022 to block Unilever from selling its ice cream in West Bank settlements , which Ben & Jerry's said would run counter to its values.

Greenfield said he could "no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee" of the Vermont-based company, according to a statement published on X by co-founder Ben Cohen late Tuesday.

Jerry Greenfield, right, and Ben Cohen, co-founders of Ben & Jerry's, partnered with MoveOn to hand out free ice cream at Franklin Square in Philadelphia during th