Ben & Jerry's sues Unilever, saying parent company censored ice cream maker over Gaza

Ben & Jerry's is suing parent company Unilever, accusing the consumer goods conglomerate of violating an agreement with the ice cream brand's independent board by muzzling its advocacy of Palestinian rights.

Unilever has prevented Ben & Jerry's from calling for a ceasefire in Gaza four times, breaking a pact that lets its subsidiary determine its own social mission, Ben & Jerry's stated in legal documents filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. 

The lawsuit states that Unilever has contributed to Israeli groups and has not stayed neutral on other issues, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

"Our heart goes out to all victims of the tragic events in the Middle East. We reject the claims made by B&J's social mission board, and we will defend our case very strongly. We would not comment further on this legal matter," Unilever said in an emailed statement.

The suit continues an ongoing public feud between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever. Ben & Jerry's board in 2022 sued Unilever for breaching its 2000 merger agreement allowing it to determine its social mission.

Unilever in March said it planned to spin off or sell its ice cream unit, which includes the Burlington, Vermont-based maker of creamy treats with a decades-long motto of "peace, love & ice cream."

The spinoff would end an unusual corporate partnership that began in 2000 when Unilever bought Ben & Jerry's for $326 million. At the time of the purchase, Ben & Jerry's stipulated that it would have an independent board, allowing it to continue taking openly progressive stances on social and political issues.