Ben & Jerry’s accuses parent company of ousting CEO over brand's leftist political posts

Ben & Jerry’s has accused its corporate owner, Unilever, of removing the ice cream brand’s CEO due to the company’s left-wing political activism.

Lawyers for Ben & Jerry’s filed an amended complaint on Tuesday in New York, alleging that Unilever violated agreements stemming from the 2000 merger, which “protects Ben & Jerry’s interests by precluding the unilateral removal of its CEO.” The company alleges that Unilever improperly removed CEO David Stever and that the decision was based on the political stances taken by the company, per CNN.

The complaint states that Unilever removed Stever due to his “commitment to Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission and Essential Brand Integrity… rather than any genuine concerns regarding his performance history.”

Unilever said in a statement to CNN, “In line with the terms of the acquisition agreement, decisions on the appointment, compensation and removal of the Ben & Jerry’s CEO will be made by Unilever after good faith consultation and discussion with the B&J’s Independent Board… (W)e are disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public.”

The UK-based company announced in March 2024 that it was seeking to sell Ben & Jerry’s along with its other ice cream brands, but a deal has not yet been reached.

This dispute is the latest in an ongoing conflict between Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s. In January, Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever of blocking a social media post about abortion, climate change, and universal healthcare because it mentioned Donald Trump. 

The brand also claimed that Unilever prevented it from posting about Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate who had his green card revoked for his role in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University as part of the radical Columbia University Apartheid Divest group. Ben & Jerry’s had intended to share an ACLU petition advocating for Khalil, but the post was never published, and the company alleged that Unilever “provided no explanation for the censorship.”

In November 2024, Ben & Jerry’s filed an initial lawsuit against Unilever, accusing the parent company of silencing attempts to publicly support Palestinian refugees and resolutions seeking to end aid to Israel. The lawsuit also alleged that Unilever threatened to dismantle Ben & Jerry’s board and sue its members after they planned to issue a statement calling for a “permanent and immediate ceasefire.”

The company’s original founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, have reportedly considered buying back the brand, arguing that Unilever has interfered with its political agenda.