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Ben & Jerry's co-founder escalates push to regain independent control
Cohen says he believes Ben & Jerry’s could be worth at least $1 billion, and he is calling for a boycott of Magnum related brands after Unilever reorganized the brands into the Magnum Ice Cream Company.
Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, says his company’s ability to pursue its trademark social activism has been “silenced” under corporate ownership, and he is stepping up efforts to regain independence from Unilever.
In November 2024, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in federal court, alleging it was blocked from voicing support for Gaza and accusing Unilever of breaching an agreement. Cohen says the dispute is still ongoing and frames the fight as both legal and existential.
Cohen estimates Ben & Jerry’s could be valued at $1 billion or more, but he says Magnum has refused to share numbers that could improve the valuation. He also argues the brand’s independence was previously protected by an independent board with final say on the brand’s voice, values, and product quality.
After Unilever spun off its ice-cream brands into the Magnum Ice Cream Company in September 2025, Cohen began a “Free Ben & Jerry’s” campaign, asking Magnum to sell the brand for independent ownership and operation. He has recently called for boycotts of Magnum’s other brands, including Yasso, Breyers, Talenti, and Klondike, aiming to pressure a sale by damaging overall sales, according to the Guardian Business interview.