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One of the original creators of the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced that parent company Unilever prevented the launch of an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the company with Jerry Greenfield, announced how he plans to independently develop the controversial flavor within a personal collection showcasing causes Ben & Jerry's has been barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Between Creators and Corporate Owner

This latest announcement escalates the continuing tension between the world-famous dessert company with Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that has owned the ice cream brand since 2000.

The co-founders maintain how the parent company along with its ice cream arm the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "honouring its social mission".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming an Emblem of Support

The entrepreneur announced via an Instagram video that he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, requesting consumer ideas for naming options plus additional components.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” the founder commented from his kitchen. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

This particular fruit has emerged as an emblem of solidarity with Palestinians due to its coloration, which mirror those of Palestine's national banner – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Social Engagement plus Recent Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell its products in areas under Israeli control, leading to the parent company selling their Israel business over to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing ongoing distribution within disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series will be developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally established several years back to support former political contender Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts plus Upcoming Plans

The founder indicated how he will create additional ice cream flavors that address issues that the company was prevented from speaking about openly by Unilever.

The announcement follows partner Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's in September, following decades of involvement, mentioning worries regarding how the company's autonomy had been compromised following corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked how "Jerry has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to fight for its independence so that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Parent company restrictions regarding political advocacy
• Independent product development by company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Continuing disagreements among corporate ownership and social mission