Radical left-wing ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s said in a federal court filing that they believe their parent company, Unilever, viola...
Radical left-wing ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s said in a federal court filing that they believe their parent company, Unilever, violated the merger agreement with the removal of the company’s CEO David Stever.
The filing submitted late on Tuesday said that any decisions regarding a CEO’s removal must come after a consultation with an advisory committee from the Ben & Jerry’s board, per Associated Press. Ben & Jerry’s asserts that Stever was terminated earlier this month due to his outspoken political activism.
“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,” the filing said.
Unilever issued a statement on the situation on Wednesday.
“Regrettably, despite repeated attempts to engage the board and follow the correct process, we are disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public,” a spokesperson for the company said.
Unilever acquired the Vermont-based specialty ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million. The relationship between the brand and the parent company has been fraught recently, especially in the current tense political climate.
Ben & Jerry’s has always openly espoused radical left-wing doctrine. In November, the ice cream retailer sued Unilever in federal court in New York, accusing it of silencing Ben & Jerry’s statements in support of Palestinians.
The Vermont-based ice cream maker also said in the complaint that its board intended to release a post mentioning abortion, climate change, minimum wage, and universal health care. The revised lawsuit said that Unilever President Peter ter Kulve “unilaterally barred Ben & Jerry’s from issuing the post because it specifically mentioned ‘Donald Trump.’”
“According to Mr. ter Kelve, despite four decades of progressive social activism—and years of challenging the Trump administration’s policies specifically—criticizing Trump was now too taboo for the brand synonymous with ‘Peace, Love, and Ice Cream,’” the lawsuit says.
Tuesday’s filing was an amendment to the original lawsuit filed in November.
More recently, the company celebrated National Abortion Provider Appreciation Day with a post on social media.
“Today is National Abortion Provider Appreciation Day! We stand with abortion providers today and every day. Learn more and take action now,” the post read, along with a graphic that stated: “Abortion care providers are being threatened across the country. Here’s why we need to stand with them today and every day.”
On the fourth of July in 2023, the company’s official social media account posted, “This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it.”