Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, has launched a public campaign urging parent company Magnum Ice Cream to sell the iconic ice cream brand, claiming Magnum is "destroying the heart and soul" of its social mission.
Cohen, who founded the company with Jerry Greenfield 47 years ago, says Magnum's corporate priorities are fundamentally misaligned with Ben & Jerry's longstanding commitment to social justice. In a recent statement, he accused the parent company of having "neutered the social mission" that has defined the brand for decades.
"They're destroying the heart and the soul of Ben & Jerry's and have neutered the social mission," Cohen declared.
The conflict has been simmering since Magnum acquired Ben & Jerry's from Unilever in 2025. Greenfield left the company that same year, alleging Magnum prevented the founders from using social media to advocate for Palestinian refugees, student protestors' First Amendment rights, and a Gaza ceasefire.
Now Cohen is rallying public support with a campaign he's calling "Free the Cone"—a play on the brand's traditional "Free Cone Day" promotion. He's calling for a buyer who shares the founders' commitment to the social issues prominently featured on Ben & Jerry's website, including racial justice, climate action, and fair trade.
Cohen and Greenfield originally sold Ben & Jerry's to Unilever in 2000 but maintained an independent board to protect their social mission. That arrangement appears to have unraveled under Magnum's ownership, with Cohen now seeking what he describes as a complete separation to preserve the brand's activist legacy.