BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) 鈥� As Ben & Jerry鈥檚 celebrated its annual Free Cone Day on Tuesday, one of the brand鈥檚 co-founders was focused on a different sort of freedom.
On the corner where his first ice cream shop opened in 1978 鈥� and where the first Free Cone Day was held a year later 鈥� Ben Cohen called on Ben & Jerry鈥檚 owner The Magnum Ice Cream Co. to sell the brand. Cohen said Magnum is stifling Ben & Jerry’s social activism and he wants to see the brand sold to a group of socially-minded investors.
鈥淢agnum prevented Ben & Jerry鈥檚 from putting out a post supporting Black History Month,” Cohen said. “(Ben & Jerry’s) wanted to come out with a post calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Magnum prevented that. We wanted to support the student protesters. Magnum wouldn鈥檛 allow that.鈥�
鈥淭he longer this goes on, the more they鈥檙e destroying the brand equity,鈥� Cohen added.
Ben & Jerry’s other half, resigned from the company in September 2025, calling it a 鈥減ainful鈥� decision after nearly 50 years with the brand and bemoaning in his resignation letter the disappearance of its independence. Cohen is still a paid employee of the company, but said he has no authority or responsibilities.
Cohen believes Ben & Jerry’s is now worth between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. He wouldn’t name any of the investors who are interested in buying the brand, but said they’re eager to talk to Magnum, which is based in Amsterdam.
However, Magnum said Tuesday that Ben & Jerry’s is not for sale.
鈥淏en & Jerry鈥檚 is a proud and thriving part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company,” Magnum said in a statement. 鈥淲e remain fully committed to the Ben & Jerry鈥檚 model and its three-part mission 鈥� product, economic and social.鈥�
Tuesday’s protest was Cohen鈥檚 latest action in a years-long campaign to make Ben & Jerry鈥檚 an independent company again. Here’s the scoop on Ben & Jerry’s evolution:
Unilever acquisition
Unilever, a London conglomerate that also owns Dove soap and Hellmann鈥檚 mayonnaise, acquired Ben & Jerry鈥檚 in 2000 for $326 million, or the equivalent of $625 million today. At the time, Cohen and his co-founder, Jerry Greenfield, said the partnership would help the ice cream company expand its social mission globally. As part of the deal, Unilever agreed that Ben & Jerry鈥檚 independent board would be free to pursue its social mission, including longstanding support for causes like racial justice, campaign finance reform and fair trade.
Controversy erupts
In 2021, Ben & Jerry鈥檚 announced it would in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem. The move was condemned by Israel, and Unilever distanced itself from it. The following year, Unilever to a local company that said it would sell Ben & Jerry鈥檚 throughout Israel and the West Bank. Ben & Jerry鈥檚 in 2024, accusing it of silencing its statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war. Ben & Jerry鈥檚 said Unilever also blocked social media posts that were critical of President Donald Trump and threatened to dismantle Ben & Jerry鈥檚 independent board.
Magnum takes over
Unilever announced the 鈥� including Ben & Jerry鈥檚 鈥� in March 2024. It was part of a at Unilever, which wants to focus more on health and wellness products and less on food. Magnum, which became an independent company in July 2025, is one of the world鈥檚 largest ice cream companies. It also owns brands like Breyers and Cornetto.
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