Problem child Ben & Jerry's getting boot from parent after years of political controversy

[seafoam1 2,822]

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/problem-child-ben-jerrys-getting-boot-from-parent-years-controversy

 

Multinational conglomerate Unilever, the owner of some 400 brands, announced Tuesday it is spinning off its ice cream business — including major names like Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, Magnum, Popsicle and Klondike — after more than a century.

The consumer goods giant said the move is part of a growth strategy to create a leaner business. At the same time, by shedding Ben & Jerry's, Unilever is ridding itself of a longtime headache.

Since its founding in 1978, Ben & Jerry's has been known for its left-leaning advocacy, and the Vermont-based ice cream maker was able to maintain an independent board of directors to continue its progressive activism even after it sold to Unilever in 2000.

But in recent years, the unique structure of the deal that allowed Ben & Jerry's to wade into controversial issues without interference has pulled Unilever into the fray, too.

The biggest lightening rod began in July 2021, when Ben & Jerry’s announced it would no longer sell its products to Israelis in the West Bank, which the company refers to as "Occupied Palestinian Territory."

The move sparked outrage from both sides of the political aisle amid accusations that the company was boycotting Israel as part of the boycott, divest, sanctions (BDS) movement, which Ben & Jerry's denied. Israel threatened to take action against Unilever over the move, and U.S. lawmakers called on the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a probe into the parent company.

Unilever, which has repeatedly distanced itself from Ben & Jerry's political takes and said it has never supported the BDS movement, sold the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream operations in Israel in June 2022 in an attempt to stem the controversy, but its subsidiary's activism has continued to tarnish the brand and drag Unilever with it.

Ben & Jerry's was hit with its own boycott threat last year after the company angered some Americans on Independence Day with a post on Twitter (now X) that read, "This 4th of July, it's high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it."

Several U.S. states have divested their public employee retirement funds from Unilever over Ben & Jerry's ending sales of its products in parts of Israel, including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas and most recently North Carolina.

North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell, a Republican, told FOX Business in an interview this year that it’s not likely Unilever anticipated allowing Ben & Jerry's to have its own board would lead to so many problems.

[Engorgeous George 2,189]

Second rate ice cream anyhow to what is sold at Babcock Hall.

[RLLD 4,155]

Ben and Jerrys should be able to sell to what ever customer they please, or not sell......as they see fit.....

[Engorgeous George 2,189]

5 minutes ago, RLLD said:

Ben and Jerrys should be able to sell to what ever customer they please, or not sell......as they see fit.....

I am going to disagree, respectfully.  It is a crime against humanity and esthetics that they sell to morbidly obese women who insist on wearing leggings.  

[Herbivore 1,119]

their flavor changed when Unilever bought em, never getting back to that

[seafoam1 2,822]

3 hours ago, RLLD said:

Ben and Jerrys should be able to sell to what ever customer they please, or not sell......as they see fit.....

I don't have a problem with a company telling a woke company to fock off because they are tiring with their political bullshlt. 

[Nomad99 711]

5 hours ago, RLLD said:

Ben and Jerrys should be able to sell to what ever customer they please, or not sell......as they see fit.....

And they should reap the rewards of their actions, good or bad.......as people se fit.

[Hardcore troubadour 15,020]

That ice cream sucks. Häagen-Dazs and then the rest. 

[RLLD 4,155]

26 minutes ago, Nomad99 said:

And they should reap the rewards of their actions, good or bad.......as people se fit.

Precisely.......

[supermike80 1,837]

Mmmm. Cherry Garcia