Fury as Ben & Jerry’s CEO fired over Trump criticism, Palestine support and LGBTQ+ campaign

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: In this photo illustration, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is seen on March 19, 2024 in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough in New York City. Consumer goods company Unilever announced that it will be cutting 7,500 jobs and spinning off its division that makes ice cream, which includes Ben & Jerry’s, Cornetto and Magnum sweet treats, into a new company. The spinoff is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. (Photo Illustration by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Photo Illustration by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

All hands on deck folks, MAGA is coming for our ice cream.

David James

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Published: Mar 19, 2025 10:28 am

Ben & Jerry‘s isn’t just an ice cream company. Since it began inception, its founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield tried to make their business a force for good in the world. This philosophy continued even as the company ballooned, and even after its 2000 acquisition by food giant Unilever. Their mission statement is to “meet human needs and eliminate injustices in our local, national, and international communities”.

Over the years the company has been involved in opposition to drilling in Alaska, making commitments to animal welfare and banning GMOs from their products, LGBTQ+ positive messaging and, most controversially, ending sales in the Occupied Palestinian Territory where Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. This has led to disquiet from Unilever, though Ben & Jerry’s is protected by a cast iron merger agreement that gives them autonomy.

Spearheading much of this recent activity was Ben & Jerry’s chief executive David Stever, who began at the company as a factory tour guide in 1988 and rose through the ranks to run it, being installed as CEO in 2023. Within the company, Stever is a beloved figure, with the chair of the independent board Anuradha Mittal saying he’s “courageously advanced the company’s social mission and values”.

Now Unilever has forced Stever out, apparently purely for his politics. The independent Ben & Jerry’s board has promptly filed a legal case that alleges the firing was done without consultation and is part of a wider goal to stamp out the company’s social mission. As the filing says:

“Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry’s personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever’s efforts to silence the Social Mission. On March 3 2025, Unilever informed the Independent board that they were removing and replacing Mr Stever as Ben & Jerry’s CEO. Unilever… attempted to force the independent board into rubberstamping the decision.”

Ben & Jerry’s hasn’t been deterred by Unilever’s meddling. A glance at their social media sees them battling for voter’s rights, praising abortion care providers, and supporting anti-Trump protest marches:

Now the mood has turned frosty online as the company’s ethics are under attack, with many understandably seeing this as a direct consequence of the new Trump era:

Support is surging:

Seems like a bad business move:

It remains to be seen whether Stever will return and how this corporate showdown will pan out. One thing’s for sure, I’m on the side of the ice cream masters and not their corporate overloads. If they stamp out Ben & Jerry’s social mission I’m out – I guess I’ll just have to make my Sweet Mango Memories elsewhere!

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