Ben & Jerry's co-founder, Jerry Greenfield, has resigned from the ice cream company after 47 years. Greenfield has accused the brand's parent company, Unilever, of losing its independence over their disagreements regarding Gaza. On September 17, 2025, Jerry Greenfield's co-founder, Ben Cohen, shared a letter from Greenfield's side, announcing his resignation. The letter said:"It’s with a broken heart that I’ve decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s. I am resigning from the company Ben and I started back in 1978. This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I’ve ever made."In his letter, Jerry Greenfield accused Unilever of taking away the company's "independence", despite their promise to uphold these values during their merger back in 2000. "It is profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone. If the company couldn’t stand up for the things we believed, then it wasn’t worth being a company at all," Greenfield's letter stated.Greenfield, along with co-founder Ben Cohen, started Ben & Jerry's in 1978, after opening their first outlet from a renovated petrol station in Vermont. Their company officially began in 1985, growing to become one of the most popular ice cream brands in the United States. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jerry Greenfield has a net worth of $150 million. Since Ben & Jerry's merged with Unilever, both he and Cohen received a salary from the parent company but were not involved in its operations."We disagree with his perspective" - Magnum spokesperson opens up about Jerry Greenfield's decision to resign from Ben & Jerry'sBen & Jerry's Unveils New Ice Cream Flavor In Support Of The Advancement Project National Office - Source: GettyIn a statement to The Hill on September 17, a spokesperson from The Magnum Ice Cream Company opened up about Jerry Greenfield's decision to step down from Ben & Jerry's. Magnum is an ice cream company falling under the umbrella of Unilever. They said:"We will be forever grateful to Jerry for his role in co-founding such an amazing ice cream company, turning his passion for delicious ice cream and addressing social causes into a remarkable success story. We thank him for his service and support over many decades and wish him well in his next chapter."The spokesperson added that Unilever disagrees with Greenfield's perspective regarding the Gaza issue."We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world," they stated.Jerry Greenfield's resignation came after Unilever notably nullified an agreement allowing Ben & Jerry's to stop their sales in the occupied territories of Palestine. This decision was heavily criticized by Israel, owing to its ongoing conflict with Palestine and the war in Gaza. The parent company then sold Ben & Jerry's Israel division to a local operator, leading to Greenfield and Cohen suing them. This legal dispute was settled in 2022. However, last year, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield once again accused Unilever of threatening the board due to their public pro-Gaza stance. Meanwhile, Unilever has been working on expanding its own ice cream division, Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC), across locations in Europe. For those unaware, Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen were school friends who pursued a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making before starting Ben & Jerry's. They began it all with $8000 in savings and a $4000 bank loan. The brand was known for its unique flavors, including Cherry Garcia, Dulce De-Lish, Chunky Monkey, Americone Dream, and Netflix & Chill'D. The founders maintained their mission of "advancing human rights and dignity" since its establishment and have been committed to donating 8% of its annual pre-tax profits to charity. Today, the ice cream brand remains one of the most popular ones worldwide and is sold in over 40 countries, and is valued at $700 million. In 2000, Unilever bought the company for $326 million, while the brand brought in annual earnings of over $200 million. The original founders, Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen, have since then played a secondary role in its operation and had little say in its management.