Key facts
- Ben Cohen is campaigning to buy back Ben & Jerry's from its parent company, Magnum Ice Cream Company.
- Cohen alleges Unilever, now part of Magnum, has silenced the brand's activism and eroded its independence.
- Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever in 2024, claiming it was blocked from voicing support for Gaza.
- Magnum states Ben & Jerry's is not for sale and is performing well financially.
- Cohen is urging a boycott of Magnum's other brands to pressure a sale.
Ben Cohen, co-founder of the iconic ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, is engaged in a significant battle to regain control of the company from its current parent, Magnum Ice Cream Company. Cohen alleges that since Ben & Jerry's was sold to Unilever in 2000, and subsequently spun off into Magnum in 2025, the brand's core values and social activism have been compromised.
Cohen expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the ice cream itself, describing new products as "kinda fluffy," which he views as a cost-cutting measure that insults the brand's quality standards. More critically, he contends that the brand's ability to voice its trademark activism has been stifled. This culminated in Ben & Jerry's suing Unilever in 2024, claiming the company was prevented from expressing support for Gaza and accusing Unilever of breaching their agreement. The lawsuit is ongoing.
Following Unilever's spin-off of its ice cream brands into Magnum, Cohen initiated a campaign to 'Free Ben & Jerry's,' urging Magnum to sell the brand back to its founders or potential investors. He believes social activism and authenticity are paramount to the brand's appeal and that consumers "want to vote with their dollars." Cohen estimates Ben & Jerry's could be valued at $1 billion or more, but claims Magnum is withholding financial information necessary for an accurate valuation.
Magnum, however, has maintained that Ben & Jerry's is not for sale. Victoria McKenzie-Gould, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer at Magnum, stated that the brand is thriving as part of Magnum, reporting 3% organic sales growth in 2025 and 9.2% growth in the second quarter, driven by innovation. She also highlighted the brand's expanded global footprint and significant investment in its social mission by the parent company.
In an effort to pressure Magnum, Cohen has recently called for a boycott of the parent company's other brands, including Breyers, Talenti, and Klondike. He views this as a necessary step to pressure Magnum into divesting the brand, which he believes is being "destroyed" by its current ownership. However, experts like Maurice Schweitzer, a management professor at the Wharton School, express skepticism about the success of such boycotts, citing consumers' potential lack of sustained attention.
Despite these challenges, Cohen remains optimistic about the loyalty of Ben & Jerry's customer base, asserting that consumers want to support brands that align with their values. He is determined to eventually own the company again, emphasizing that "We want Ben & Jerry’s to remain strong because we plan on eventually owning it."