Ben Cohen Warns Ben & Jerry's Brand at Risk Under Magnum Ownership After Spin-Off
Ben Cohen has warned that Ben & Jerry's could be destroyed as a brand if it remains under Magnum following Magnum's spin-off from Unilever. Magnum, which started trading on the European stock market ahead of the spin-off, intends to position Ben & Jerry's as a values-based, non-partisan brand. Since the sale to Unilever in 2000, Ben & Jerry's maintained an independent board and was known for its social-mission decisions, though ongoing clashes have now been inherited by Magnum.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell in Israeli-occupied areas. Unilever later sold the Israeli operation to a local licensee, and Cohen said he was blocked from launching a Palestine-solidarity ice cream. Ahead of the spin-off, Magnum stated that chair Anuradha Mittal no longer met criteria after an internal audit, which Mittal claims was manufactured to discredit the board. Cohen argues that Magnum has no standing to appoint the independent board chair and would be unfit to own Ben & Jerry's if it attempts to do so, urging that ownership should lie with investors aligned with the brand or with backing of the chair.
Cohen warns that ownership by Magnum could erode Ben & Jerry's values and loyal following, risking a loss of market share. Magnum has responded by saying Ben & Jerry's is not for sale and will retain its social mission. The spin-off has made Magnum the world's largest standalone ice cream business. Notably, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, left the company in September after nearly 50 years amid concerns about stifling the social mission.
