Summary — "Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Wants to Be Set Free"

Author/Host: The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios
Episode host: Jessica Mendoza
Date: Monday, October 6 (episode)

Overview

This episode is an interview with Ben Cohen, co‑founder and longtime public face of Ben & Jerry’s, about the brand’s origins, its politics-forward identity, the 2000 acquisition by Unilever, mounting conflicts over the company’s activism (notably a 2021 decision to stop sales in Israeli settlements), recent lawsuits, the departure of co‑founder Jerry Greenfield, and Ben’s ongoing effort to preserve Ben & Jerry’s mission — including a plan to remove the brand from Unilever and return it to mission-aligned ownership.

Key points & main takeaways

• Origins & brand identity:

  • Ben & Jerry’s began as a small Vermont shop (1978) and built its fame on creative flavors and outspoken social activism integrated into the business.
  • Ben stresses the company was always meant to be purpose-driven, not primarily profit-driven.

• Acquisition and governance:

  • Ben & Jerry’s was acquired by Unilever in 2000. Ben and Jerry opposed the sale but negotiated an unusual governance structure granting an independent board authority over the brand’s social mission and marketing.
  • That governance initially allowed the company itself (not just founders) to take principled public stances.

• Business as political power:

  • Ben argues business is now the most powerful social force and thus has responsibility to act on social issues rather than just pursue profit.

• 2021 Israel/Palestine conflict and fallout:

  • Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop sales in Israeli‑occupied West Bank and contested East Jerusalem, calling the settlements inconsistent with its values. The move provoked diplomatic and corporate backlash.
  • Unilever continued selling ice cream in those territories and later asserted it had to step in to protect the brand and employees from risks tied to "one‑sided, highly controversial and polarizing topics."

• Breakdown in relations and legal fights:

  • Tensions escalated into multiple lawsuits and public disputes. Ben & Jerry’s alleged Unilever was censoring the brand and disregarding the independent board; Unilever said it had sought engagement and maintained support for the brand’s mission historically.
  • Jerry Greenfield resigned after 47 years, citing that the conflict and perceived silencing at Unilever had become intolerable for him.

• Ben’s current stance and plan:

  • Ben remains publicly engaged and intends to continue fighting to keep Ben & Jerry’s a values‑led company. He and others have sought to have Unilever carve out Ben & Jerry’s to be sold to mission-aligned investors; Unilever has refused to sell a standalone Ben & Jerry’s.
  • Ben believes failure to separate the brand will lead it to become generic corporate product and lose its willingness to take controversial stands.

Notable quotes / insights

• "Business is the most powerful force in our society." — Ben Cohen
• "It wasn't about money." — Ben, on why he and Jerry built the company
• "If we're not successful in acquiring Ben & Jerry's ... the company will no longer take stands that not everybody agrees with." — Ben, on the stakes of keeping the brand independent
• "I believe that we will win." — Ben, on his plan to preserve the brand’s mission
• On Israel/Palestine backlash: "As Jewish supporters of the state of Israel, we fundamentally reject the notion that it is anti‑Semitic to question the policies of the state of Israel." — Ben (paraphrased from the transcript)

Topics discussed

• Company history and signature flavors (Half‑Baked, Chunky Monkey; Ben's favorite: mocha walnut)
• Early governance and public mission of Ben & Jerry’s
• 2000 sale to Unilever and the resulting governance safeguards
• Examples of corporate activism (Peace Pops 1988, Yes We Can 2009, climate flavors, George Floyd statement 2020)
• 2021 decision to stop sales in Israeli settlements and resulting controversy
• Unilever vs. Ben & Jerry’s disputes, lawsuits, and claims of censorship
• Jerry Greenfield’s resignation and differing tolerance for public conflict
• Ben’s current campaign: carve‑out/sale to mission-aligned investors and legal/PR fight to protect the brand’s values

Action items & recommendations (for different audiences)

• For listeners/observers:

  • Watch for ongoing litigation and regulatory/contractual outcomes; they will influence precedent on corporate mission protection under acquisition agreements.
  • Consider how corporate governance structures (independent boards, mission clauses) can succeed or fail in large corporate-acquirer contexts.

• For mission-driven entrepreneurs:

  • Build clear, enforceable governance protections (and anticipate how they will be tested if the company scales or is acquired).
  • Plan for succession and scenario planning (how to maintain mission under new ownership).

• For investors or mission-aligned buyers:

  • If interested in acquiring purpose brands, assess legal barriers (Unilever’s current refusal) and be prepared for public/political complexity post‑acquisition.

• For Ben & Jerry’s supporters:

  • Supporters who want the brand to remain independent can follow Ben’s buyback/carve‑out campaign, engage publicly, or back aligned investors.

Final takeaway

This interview frames the Ben & Jerry’s story as a test case: can a values‑driven brand preserve its mission after being absorbed by a global conglomerate? Ben Cohen sees the current struggle as existential for the brand’s identity and is actively fighting to decouple Ben & Jerry’s from Unilever so the company can continue to take controversial, mission-driven stands without being muzzled.