Ben Cohen has a condition called anosmia. Basically, he can't smell a thing, and his sense of taste is pretty much non-existent. You might think that's a death sentence for a guy starting an ice cream empire, but it's actually the reason your Pint of Phish Food is packed with those massive, tooth-rattling chunks of chocolate. Ben needed the texture—the "mouthfeel"—to enjoy the food.
It's a weirdly perfect metaphor for his entire life. Ben Cohen doesn't just want to taste the world; he wants to feel the impact of everything he touches.
If you’ve been following the news lately, you know the vibe around Ben & Jerry’s has shifted from "euphoric" to something much more litigious. By early 2026, the rift between the founders and their corporate overloads has reached a breaking point. It’s not just about ice cream anymore. It’s about who owns the soul of a brand.
The Gas Station and the $5 Course
Let's be honest: Ben and Jerry weren't exactly "Most Likely to Succeed" material in the traditional sense. Ben was a college dropout who drove a taxi and taught crafts to troubled kids. Jerry Greenfield was a pre-med student who couldn't get into medical school.
In 1978, they were two guys in their late 20s with $12,000—four grand of which was borrowed—and a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making from Penn State. They originally wanted to sell bagels, but the equipment was too expensive. Ice cream was the fallback plan.
They set up shop in a dilapidated, renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. It was a "lark," as Ben often says. They figured they'd do it for a few years and then become cross-country truck drivers.
Instead, they accidentally invented "values-led" business.
When the Doughboy Met the Hippies
By the mid-80s, the big players noticed the two hippies in Vermont were onto something. Häagen-Dazs, owned by Pillsbury at the time, tried to squeeze Ben & Jerry's out of the distribution market. Most startups would have folded.
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Ben Cohen went to war. He started the "What's the Doughboy Afraid Of?" campaign, running ads on the sides of buses and taking out tiny classifieds. He turned a legal dispute into a David vs. Goliath narrative.
People loved it. This was the moment Ben Cohen Ben and Jerry's became more than just a brand; it became a symbol of the "little guy" fighting back. They weren't just selling dairy; they were selling a philosophy.
The Three-Part Mission
Eventually, the pair codified their approach into a three-part mission statement:
- Product Mission: Make the best ice cream.
- Economic Mission: Manage the company for sustainable financial growth.
- Social Mission: Use the company to make the world a better place.
For a long time, it worked. They gave 7.5% of pre-tax profits to charity. They bought brownies from Greyston Bakery, which employs people who face barriers to employment. They pioneered the idea that a company could have a heart.
The 2000 Sale: The Beginning of the End?
In 2000, Unilever bought Ben & Jerry's for $326 million. Ben and Jerry didn't really want to sell, but as a public company, they had a fiduciary duty to shareholders.
To protect the brand’s soul, they negotiated a unique deal: an independent Board of Directors would oversee the "Social Mission." Unilever would handle the distribution and the money; the Board would handle the activism.
It was a "marriage of convenience" that stayed relatively stable for twenty years. But fast forward to 2025 and 2026, and the cracks have become canyons.
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Why Ben Cohen is Trying to "Free" the Brand
In late 2025, Jerry Greenfield officially resigned from the company. It was a massive shock to the system. Jerry, usually the quieter of the two, said he could no longer "in good conscience" remain an employee because the social mission was being silenced.
Ben Cohen has been even more vocal. He’s been spearheading the "#FreeBenAndJerrys" campaign.
The core of the conflict? Gaza, indigenous rights, and corporate censorship. The independent board wanted to take a stand on several geopolitical issues, including a ceasefire in Gaza. Unilever (and its spinoff, The Magnum Ice Cream Company) reportedly blocked them.
Ben isn't just complaining on X (formerly Twitter). He gatecrashed a capital markets day in London. He’s calling for the brand to be sold back to socially-aligned investors for a fair market value—estimated between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion.
"It's easy to stand up and speak out when there's nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose." — Jerry Greenfield, upon his 2025 resignation.
Ben Cohen’s Current Projects: Beyond the Scoop
Even though he no longer owns the ice cream company, Ben hasn't slowed down. His net worth is estimated at around $150 million, and he’s using it in ways that make traditional billionaires cringe.
- Ben’s Best Blnz: He launched a nonprofit cannabis company. Yes, nonprofit. The goal isn't to get rich; it's to use the profits for racial justice and criminal justice reform, specifically helping those negatively impacted by the War on Drugs.
- Political Activism: He’s still the "Bernie guy." He co-chaired Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign and continues to push for getting "big money" out of politics through organizations like Move to Amend.
- The Stampede: You might have seen dollar bills stamped with messages like "Not to be used for bribing politicians." That’s Ben’s "Stamp Stampede" project.
What Most People Get Wrong About the "Split"
There’s a common misconception that Ben and Jerry are just "brand ambassadors" who have no say. While they don't have legal control, their influence is the brand's primary asset.
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When Ben Cohen gets arrested at a protest—which he did in May 2024 for protesting military aid to Israel at a Senate hearing—it puts Unilever in a PR nightmare. They own a brand that is synonymous with the very man they are trying to quiet down.
Honestly, it’s a mess. Unilever is currently spinning off its ice cream business into a separate entity called The Magnum Ice Cream Company. Ben is fighting to make sure Ben & Jerry's isn't part of that package. He wants the brand to be independent again.
Why This Matters for the Future of Business
The story of Ben Cohen Ben and Jerry's is a cautionary tale for any founder who wants to "change the world" through a corporation. Can a social mission survive a corporate takeover?
For twenty years, the answer was "mostly." But in 2026, the answer looks like "no."
If Ben succeeds in "freeing" the brand, it would be an unprecedented move in corporate history. If he fails, Ben & Jerry’s might just become another generic brand with "activism" that feels more like a marketing department's checklist than a founder's conviction.
Actionable Insights for Conscious Consumers and Founders
If you care about values-led business, here is how you can actually apply the Ben Cohen philosophy without ending up in a twenty-year legal battle:
- Governance is Everything: If you’re a founder, don't just rely on "good vibes." Build your social mission into your legal bylaws (like a B-Corp) before you ever take outside investment.
- Texture Matters: Like Ben's ice cream chunks, your business needs "texture." Don't be "smooth" and corporate. Be specific about what you stand for, even if it alienates some people.
- Vote with Your Pint: In 2026, consumers have more power than ever. If you support Ben’s mission to make the brand independent, follow the #FreeBenAndJerrys movement. Corporate boards only listen to one thing: the bottom line.
- The "Lark" Mindset: Don't start a business just to exit. Start it because you’d be happy doing it even if it stayed a single "gas station" in Vermont. That authenticity is what creates a legacy that lasts 50 years.
The battle for Ben & Jerry's isn't over. Whether you find him inspiring or "too political," you can't deny that Ben Cohen changed the way we think about the stuff in our freezer. He proved that business can be a tool for justice—as long as you’re willing to fight for it.