Ben & Jerry's Former Chair Alleges Magnum Threats Amid Board Dispute
Anuradha Mittal, the ousted chair of Ben & Jerry's independent board for seven years, has alleged that Magnum, the new owner of the ice cream brand, threatened to publish defamatory statements if she did not resign. Magnum, which recently acquired Ben & Jerry's after Unilever spun off its ice cream unit, ordered changes to the board governance, including a nine-year director limit. These changes led to the removal of Mittal and two other directors, accompanied by an audit identifying deficiencies in the Ben & Jerry's Foundation.
Mittal stated that the dispute centers on the brand's independence, social mission, and integrity, characterizing Magnum's actions as attempts to silence human rights advocacy. She declined a multimillion-dollar Unilever-funded non-profit role offered by Magnum in exchange for her resignation.
Magnum has responded by asserting that the newly implemented governance measures strengthen oversight, reaffirm board responsibilities, and aim to preserve the brand's social mission and integrity. They remain committed to Ben & Jerry's three-part mission.
The brand's recent history includes a 2021 refusal to sell in Israeli-occupied areas. At that time, Unilever sold the Israeli operation to a local licensee. In October, co-founder Ben Cohen expressed that the firm was prevented from launching an ice cream expressing solidarity with Palestine.
Founders have also voiced concerns. Jerry Greenfield left the firm in September due to worries over the social mission, while Ben Cohen has criticized Magnum as unfit to own the company.
