Ben & Jerry’s claims Unilever ousted CEO over pro-Palestine views
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Ben & Jerry’s claims its CEO was unjustly removed by its parent company, Unilever, as retaliation for the brand's social and political activism.
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Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, on February 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (AP)
Ben & Jerry’s claims its parent company, Unilever, unlawfully dismissed CEO David Stever in response to the brand’s social and political activism.
In a federal court filing on Tuesday, Ben & Jerry’s stated that Unilever informed its board on March 3 about Stever’s removal and replacement, violating their merger agreement. The agreement requires consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry’s board before making such decisions.
On Wednesday, Unilever, based in London, expressed hope that Ben & Jerry’s board would participate in the agreed-upon process.
“Regrettably, despite repeated attempts to engage the board and follow the correct process, we are disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public,” Unilever said.
Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s for $326 million in 2000, with the ice cream company hoping the deal would bolster its social mission. However, tensions have escalated in recent years.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop selling products in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East al-Quds.
The following year, Unilever sold its Israeli business to a local company, allowing Ben & Jerry’s to be sold under its Hebrew and Arabic name across "Israel" and the West Bank.
In May 2023, Unilever announced plans to spin off its ice cream division, including Ben & Jerry’s, by the end of 2025 as part of a broader restructuring. Despite this, conflicts persisted.
In November, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in a New York federal court, accusing it of suppressing the company’s pro-Palestinian statements regarding the Gaza war.
Ben & Jerry's stated in the lawsuit that it has attempted to call for a ceasefire, support the safe passage of Palestinian refugees to Britain, support students protesting civilian deaths in Gaza, and advocate for a halt in US military aid to "Israel" but has been blocked by Unilever.
