Ben & Jerry’s accused its corporate owner Unilever of ousting the ice cream maker’s chief executive over the brand’s anti-Trump political activism.
London-based Unilever allegedly removed CEO David Stever following the consumer products giant’s “efforts to silence the social mission” of Ben & Jerry’s, which lately has included protests against Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza, according to a Tuesday court filing.
Unilever “informed the Independent Board” that Stever – who had been CEO since May 2023 after starting as a tour guide for the ice cream brand’s Waterbury factory in 1988 – would be replaced as CEO on March 3, according to the complaint.
That, according to the complaint filed by Ben & Jerry’s, was violation of its 2000 merger agreement with Ben & Jerry’s, which “protects Ben & Jerry’s interest by precluding the unilateral removal of its CEO.”
Unliever had “repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry’s personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply,” Ben & Jerry’s said an amended complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan.
It’s unclear whether Stever is still with the company.
Unilever did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
It’s the latest in a heated battle between the Vermont-based ice cream company, famous for flavors like Chunky Monkey and Phish Food, and Unilever, which has been looking to spin off or sell Ben & Jerry’s.
Ben & Jerry’s alleged that Unilever’s control over its posts on progressive issues had hit “new levels of oppressiveness.”
Most recently, the company claimed Unilever kept it from making a post about Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian refugee whose green card was revoked after he was involved in anti-Israel protests last year at Columbia University.
The post would have advocated for his release, since Khalil remains in ICE custody.
Unilever allegedly “provided no explanation for the censorship,” according to the complaint.
In November, Ben & Jerry’s filed its initial lawsuit accusing Unilever of muzzling the ice cream brand from publicly supporting Palestinian refugees and resolutions to end military aid to Israel.
It also claimed Unilever threatened to dismantle Ben & Jerry’s board and sue members after the board planned to issue a statement calling for a “permanent and immediate ceasefire.”
In January, Ben & Jerry’s claimed Unilever had “unilaterally barred” it from making a post on abortion, climate change and universal healthcare because it mentioned President Trump.
Ben & Jerry’s said its parent company also blocked a post in celebration of Black History Month in February.
Unilever – which also owns brands Dove, Hellmann’s and Vaseline – saw its own chief executive step down unexpectedly last month.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry’s, are reportedly considering buying back the brand as they claim the corporation interferes with their lefty politics.
