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One of the original creators behind the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has claimed how parent company Unilever blocked the introduction for an innovative Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, who co-founded the business with his partner, announced that he will personally create this new flavor as part of an individual series showcasing issues the company has been barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Involving Founders versus Parent Company

This latest development deepens the ongoing disagreement among the internationally recognized ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

The co-founders maintain how the parent company and its ice cream arm the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked their company from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Sorbet as an Emblem of Support

Mr. Cohen revealed through an Instagram video how he's developing a new watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions regarding the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they couldn't,” Mr. Cohen declared from a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for permanent peace for Palestinians while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

This particular fruit has emerged as an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian people due to its colors, which match the colors in Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Previous Social Engagement and Current Developments

Several years ago, the ice cream company refused to sell their merchandise in territories occupied by Israel, leading to Unilever selling the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting ongoing distribution within disputed territories.

The new dessert series will be developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally created in 2016 for endorsing former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Management Changes and Future Plans

Mr. Cohen revealed how he will develop additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on concerns that the company was prevented from speaking about openly due to corporate restrictions.

The announcement follows partner Jerry Greenfield stepped down his position at Ben & Jerry's in September, following decades of involvement, mentioning concerns that the company's autonomy was compromised following Unilever's decision to restrict their advocacy work.

At that time, Ben Cohen remarked how “My partner has a really big heart and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

"My heart leads me to keep working inside the company to fight for its independence so that it can actualise its ethical purpose, the values that it was founded on while upholding for decades," he explained to media outlets.

• Parent company restrictions on social activism
• Personal product development from original creators
• The fruit-based product as political symbol
• Continuing tensions between corporate ownership and ethical values