When news broke that Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, was stepping down after 47 years, the decision struck a chord far beyond the ice cream aisle.
Greenfield cited a loss of independence under parent company Unilever, saying the brand could no longer freely speak up on social issues, a core part of its identity since its founding.
For many, it was a disappointing but unsurprising corporate shift. For Chance the Rapper, it was a galvanizing moment.
Ben & Jerry’s is the only major company I know of that has repeatedly lobbied for Black American Reparations. Two older men with access who have no incentive other than justice, are now being punished and silenced for their unwavering support of Palestine. I’m not heartbroken, im… https://t.co/OX3PQmaWaq
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 17, 2025
In a post on X, Chance praised Ben & Jerry’s as one of the few major companies that had consistently supported Black American reparations and stood for justice on tough issues. But he also acknowledged the consequences the co-founders now face for speaking out on Palestine.
“Ben & Jerry’s is the only major company I know of that has repeatedly lobbied for Black American Reparations,” Chance wrote. “Two older men with access who have no incentive other than justice, are now being punished and silenced for their unwavering support of Palestine. I’m not heartbroken, I’m galvanized. We continue to fight the good fight ✊🏾.”
Ben & Jerry’s has long been known for pairing its inventive flavors with progressive stances.
Over the decades, the Vermont-based brand has spoken out on civil rights, voting rights, LGBTQ equality, climate change, and most recently, Palestinian human rights. That outspoken tradition has often clashed with Unilever, which acquired the company in 2000 under an agreement promising independence around social mission.
But as Greenfield made clear in his resignation letter, that independence has eroded.
“For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights,” he wrote. “It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”
The tension isn’t just about one brand. It highlights a broader corporate dilemma: how companies balance social advocacy with the pressure to remain apolitical in today’s polarized environment.
For some consumers, brands staying silent feels like complicity. For others, speaking out risks alienation.
Chance’s response underscores how much these debates matter in communities that see activism as inseparable from justice. His message reframes the controversy not as a defeat but as fuel for continued advocacy.
With Ben & Jerry’s now set to be spun off into The Magnum Ice Cream Company by 2025, questions remain about whether its original spirit of “peace, love, and ice cream” can survive in a new corporate structure.
Meanwhile, voices like Chance the Rapper’s remind us that the fight for justice, whether through music, business, or even ice cream, is far from over.
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