Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Warns Brand Could Be “Destroyed” Under Magnum Ownership
Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, has warned that the ice cream maker’s identity and long-standing social mission are at risk following its transfer to newly listed parent company Magnum. Speaking to the BBC, Cohen said the brand could be “destroyed” if its autonomy continues to be challenged.
His comments add to the deepening dispute between Ben & Jerry’s independent board and its corporate owners, a conflict that dates back to the brand’s 2000 sale to Unilever – a deal that guaranteed the ice cream company its own board and control over its activism-focused mission.
Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC), which formally separated from Unilever and began trading on the European stock market this week, has now inherited the tensions. A spokesperson for Magnum said the company intends to build on Ben & Jerry’s “values-based” approach, calling it “powerful” and “non-partisan.”
Growing rift over governance and activism
The relationship has become increasingly strained in recent years. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s halted sales in territories occupied by Israel, prompting Unilever to sell the brand’s local operations to a licensee. Cohen said he was later blocked from releasing a flavour showing “solidarity with Palestine.”
The latest flashpoint emerged when Magnum declared that long-serving board chair Anuradha Mittal “no longer meets the criteria” for the role, citing what it claimed were serious shortcomings in financial oversight and governance. Mittal rejected the findings, calling the audit “manufactured” and alleging it was designed to undermine the board’s authority.
Cohen strongly defended Mittal, saying Magnum has “no standing” to decide who leads the independent board and arguing that its actions show the company is “not fit to own Ben & Jerry’s.”
He suggested that either new owners who respect the brand’s values should take over, or Magnum should reverse course and reaffirm the board’s independence.
Fears for the brand’s future
Cohen, who still works for Ben & Jerry’s, warned that the ice cream maker’s distinctiveness – built on decades of activism and loyal fans – could erode quickly under the new structure.
“If the company continues under Magnum, both the values and the essence of the brand will disappear,” he said. Without its social mission, he argued, Ben & Jerry’s risks becoming “just another piece of frozen mush” with fading market share.
Magnum chief executive Peter ter Kulve told the Financial Times that generational change in leadership is inevitable, noting that the founders are now in their seventies. Jerry Greenfield stepped away from the company in September after nearly 50 years, citing concerns that its activism was being stifled.
Magnum insists the business is not for sale and that it respects Ben & Jerry’s social commitments. Shares in the newly listed ice-cream group opened slightly below expectations at €12.20 but edged higher by the close of trading.
With the spin-off complete, Magnum becomes the world’s largest stand-alone ice cream company – but its most famous brand appears headed for a turbulent new chapter.
