Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, has launched a campaign to "Free Ben & Jerry's" and is calling for a boycott of other brands owned by the Magnum Ice Cream Company. Cohen aims to pressure Magnum into selling Ben & Jerry's so it can be independently owned and operated.
Cohen's campaign follows a legal dispute. In November 2024, Ben & Jerry's sued its then-parent company Unilever, alleging it was blocked from supporting Gaza and that Unilever breached their deal agreement. The lawsuit is ongoing in federal court.
After Unilever spun off its ice cream brands into the Magnum Ice Cream Company in September 2025, Cohen began his campaign. He estimates Ben & Jerry's could be valued at $1bn or more, but says Magnum has not provided numbers to help value it accurately.
Magnum has stated that Ben & Jerry's is not for sale. Victoria McKenzie-Gould, Magnum's chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer, said Ben & Jerry's is "thriving as part of the Magnum Ice Cream Company."
Industry experts predict that such boycotts are unlikely to succeed, with Maurice Schweitzer, a management professor at the Wharton School, noting that "most boycotts fail because people get distracted." However, Cohen believes the company's loyal followers will support his efforts.