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In
a federal court filing late Tuesday, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever
informed its board on March 3 that it was removing and replacing
Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever. Ben & Jerry’s said that violated
its merger agreement with Unilever, which states that any
decisions regarding a CEO’s removal must come after a
consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry’s
board.
In a statement Wednesday, London-based Unilever said it hoped
Ben & Jerry's board would engage in the agreed-upon process.
“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,” Unilever said.
Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million. At the
time, Ben & Jerry’s said the partnership would help the
progressive Vermont-based ice cream company expand its social
mission.
But lately, the marriage hasn’t been a happy one. In 2021, Ben &
Jerry's announced it would stop serving Israeli settlements in
the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem. The
following year, Unilever sold its Israeli business to a local
company that said it would sell Ben & Jerry's under its Hebrew
and Arabic name throughout Israel and the West Bank.
Last May, Unilever said it was planning to spin off its ice
cream business — including Ben & Jerry's — by the end of 2025 as
part of a larger restructuring. Unilever also owns personal
hygiene brands like Dove soap and food brands like Hellmann's
mayonnaise.
But the acrimony continued. In November, Ben & Jerry's sued
Unilever in federal court in New York, accusing it of silencing
Ben & Jerry's statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza
war.
In its complaint, Ben & Jerry's said Unilever also refused to
let the company release a social media post that identified
issues it believed would be challenged during President Donald
Trump's second term, including minimum wages, universal health
care, abortion and climate change.
Tuesday's filing was an amendment to that lawsuit
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