After nearly half a century of puns, pint-sized protests, and spoon-first diplomacy via Cherry Garcia, Jerry Greenfield is hanging up his scooper.
The “Jerry” in Ben & Jerry’s has resigned after what he says was years of corporate censorship under Unilever—particularly during Trump’s second administration, when speaking up for civil rights suddenly required either a permission slip or a pink slip.
In a letter shared by co-founder Ben Cohen, Greenfield explained:
“It’s with a broken heart that I’ve decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s. This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I’ve ever made…”
In 1978, Greenfield and Cohen, two childhood friends Greenfield and Cohen scraped together $12,000 to open an ice cream shop in Burlington, Vermont, from a converted gas station. Armed with a $5 correspondence course and a shared love of community, they churned their way into pop culture with flavors like Cherry Garcia and Half Baked—proving you could scoop cookie dough and climate justice in the same pint.
Personally, I’m more of a Milk & Cookies loyalist when it’s a long night, or a Strawberry Cheesecake fan when I want something classic—though the newest Bossin’ Cream Pie flavor has been sneaking into my top freezer shelf lately.
Today, Ben & Jerry’s operates more than 500 scoop shops around the world, where workers—affectionately known as “scoopers”—keep the cones and cups flowing.
But at 74, Greenfield made clear his decision to exit had nothing to do with them:
“The folks who show up every day in our factories, scoop shops, and offices are some of the most passionate, caring, and values-driven people you’ll ever meet. They are the soul of Ben & Jerry’s.”
The real problem? Corporate censorship. For decades, Ben & Jerry’s was the rare brand bold enough to wade into politics alongside its fudge chunks—championing reparations for Black Americans, LGBTQ+ rights, climate action, refugee protections, and even freezing out Israeli settlements during the Gaza–Israel conflict.
Unilever, which acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million, had promised to protect the brand’s social mission. Fast-forward to 2025, and that “mission” has been watered down and rebranded under the painfully bland Magnum Ice Cream Company.
I mean, nothing screams “justice for all” like slapping your activist ice cream legacy under a bougie, egregiously overpriced chocolate bar conveniently shaped like a novelty peen.
Along the way, the London-based parent company quietly blocked campaigns supporting Black Lives Matter, sanded down climate change messaging, quietly stripped out LGBTQ+ rights copy, and even overruled Ben & Jerry’s boycott of Israeli settlements. What was once a values-driven pint with a megaphone has been slowly gagged with corporate fine print.
And when Trump returned with a vengeance, Greenfield says Unilever muzzled the company at the exact moment dissent was needed most:
“Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power.”
You can read the full resignation letter below:
After 47 years, Jerry has made the difficult decision to step down from the company we built together. I’m sharing his words as he resigns from Ben & Jerry’s. His legacy deserves to be true to our values, not silenced by @MagnumGlobal #FreeBenAndJerrys pic.twitter.com/EZXGRjs76a
— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) September 17, 2025
The timing isn’t lost on anyone. We’re only 241 days (yes, I’ve been counting) into Trump’s second term, and the chill of censorship is spreading faster than a freezer burn. From school libraries pulling books to late-night shows getting canceled, speaking truth to power has become a fireable offense or, at the very least, a PR nightmare.
If even the ice cream guys can’t keep their platform for justice, what hope does your local librarian—or late-night talk show host—have?
The internet, of course, melted down—half in outrage, half in gratitude—while showering Jerry with thank-yous for nearly five decades of turning dessert into a tasty dissent.
Meanwhile, Magnum tried to keep things chill:
“We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry’s powerful values-based position in the world.”
In corporate-speak, that roughly translates to: we’ll happily chat about justice—as long as it comes with sprinkles and doesn’t scare MAGA cult members, I mean, customers.
So yes, Jerry is gone. But Ben Cohen remains active—launching nonprofits, getting arrested at protests, and reminding everyone that ice cream activism doesn’t end with the pint.
In today’s America, where CEOs, university presidents, teachers, comedians, CDC staff, and now ice cream makers are resigning (or getting shoved out) over Trump’s war on human rights and free speech, the freezer aisle might be the most honest reflection of democracy melting away, one scoop at a time.
Hold your pints close and your spoons closer, folks. Justice may be melting, but at least Cherry Garcia still tastes like rebellion.
