Ben Cohen was born in 1951 in New York to a Jewish family. As the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, he is not only a titan of industry but a pioneer of the “socially responsible business” movement.
In his career, Ben built Ben & Jerry’s into one of the world’s most successful values-led corporations. He pioneered the practice of donating a percentage of pre-tax profits to social causes and pushed the company to become one of the first major brands to achieve B Corp certification. Despite the company’s acquisition by Unilever in 2000, Ben ensured through a unique independent Board of Directors that the brand remained a radical vanguard on issues like climate change, racial justice, and criminal justice reform.
Ben has been a steadfast advocate for Palestinian rights, viewing it as a natural extension of his Jewish values. In 2021, with the founders’ backing, the Ben & Jerry’s Board announced it would stop selling ice cream in “Occupied Palestinian Territory” (OPT), stating it was inconsistent with the brand’s values.
This sparked a fierce conflict with the parent company, Unilever. When Unilever later sold the Israeli business rights to a local licensee to bypass the Board’s decision, Ben supported the Board in suing Unilever to protect the brand’s social mission. In an MSNBC interview, Ben firmly stated: “As a Jew, I support this decision. Being critical of Israeli government policy is not the same as being anti-Semitic.” He emphasizes that true security stems from justice, not from stripping others of their freedom through occupation.
2025
In early 2025, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continued to escalate, the Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board of Directors planned to launch a limited-edition flavor titled “Ceasefire Crunch” (or alternatively, “Justice for Palestine“). The packaging was designed to feature explicit calls for an immediate ceasefire, and 100% of the profits were earmarked for humanitarian aid in Gaza and non-profits focused on Palestinian civil rights protection.
The parent company, Unilever, reacted with significant alarm, fearing that such a provocative move would trigger a massive pro-Israel boycott and jeopardize its financial performance across global markets. Unilever leadership attempted to exercise a veto to block the flavor’s release. This move infuriated Ben and Jerry. Although they no longer held operational control, as the brand’s spiritual leaders, they immediately rallied behind the Independent Board.
Ben Cohen criticized Unilever bluntly in a televised interview, stating: “This is not a business decision; it is a decision of moral cowardice.” Jerry Greenfield echoed this sentiment in an op-ed for The Guardian, writing: “Unilever promised to respect our social mission when they acquired us, but now they are attempting to muffle the voice of justice. As Jews, we know that silence is complicity.” Greenfield then resigned, and Cohen sold the ice cream under his own independent ice cream brand, “Ben’s Best”.