Editing Ben & Jerry's (section)

===Unilever era===
====Sale of company to Unilever====
[[File:A_Ben_&_Jerry's_ice_cream_shop_in_Place_Jacques-Cartier,_Montreal,_Canada_04.jpg|thumb|A Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop in [[Place Jacques-Cartier]], [[Montreal]]]]
In April 2000, Ben & Jerry's sold itself to British multinational food giant [[Unilever]] for $326 million ($607 million in 2025 accounting for inflation).<ref>{{cite web |last=Meadows |first=Donella |url=http://www.commondreams.org/views/041300-106.htm |work=[[Common Dreams]] |title=The Globalization of Ben & Jerry's|date=April 13, 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000901230848/http://commondreams.org/views/041300-106.htm |archive-date=September 1, 2000}}</ref> In the acquisition agreement, Unilever agreed to carry on the company's tradition of engaging "in these critical, global economic and social missions".<ref name=IsraelBoycott/> Following the acquisition, both founders remained employed at the company, though not in a position of operational or managerial responsibility,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/qa/documents/03073228.asp |date=August 14, 2003 |newspaper=Boston Phoenix |title=Coneheads |access-date=April 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504162557/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/qa/documents/03073228.asp |archive-date=May 4, 2008 }}</ref> though Cohen remained on the governing board of directors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dairynetwork.com/doc/ben-jerrys-co-founders-protest-new-ceo-0001 |title=Ben & Jerry's co-founders protest new CEO | date=21 November 2000 |last=Clark |first=Jerry |website=Dairy Network.com}}</ref>

In 2010, Jostein Solheim, a Unilever executive from Norway, was appointed CEO.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.foodprocessing.com/ceo/jostein_solheim.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928054424/http://www.foodprocessing.com/ceo/jostein_solheim.html |archive-date= September 28, 2011 |url-status = live |website=foodprocessing.com |title=Wellness Foods Division President: Jostein Solheim, Ben & Jerry's Homemade |access-date=April 1, 2010}}</ref>

In 2018, Matthew McCarthy, previously a Unilever executive, was appointed CEO, replacing Solheim.<ref name="Ben & Jerry's Introduces New CEO">{{cite press release |title=Ben & Jerry's Introduces New CEO |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ben--jerrys-introduces-new-ceo-300697577.html |publisher=Cision PR Newswire |access-date=June 17, 2020}}</ref>

In 2019, Ben & Jerry's had production facilities in [[St. Albans (town), Vermont|Saint Albans]], [[Vermont]];<ref name="NV">{{cite web|url=https://vermontbiz.com/news/2019/june/28/ben-jerry%27s-owner-close-nevada-ice-cream-plant|work=VermontBIZ|date=June 28, 2019|title=Ben & Jerry's owner to close Nevada ice cream plant|access-date=July 27, 2022|archive-date=July 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727153325/https://vermontbiz.com/news/2019/june/28/ben-jerry%27s-owner-close-nevada-ice-cream-plant|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Waterbury, Vermont|Waterbury]], Vermont;<ref name=NV/> [[Hellendoorn]], Netherlands;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.benjerry.com/whats-new/2014/the-chunkinator|work=Ben&Jerry's|title=An Ice Cream Factory Powered by... Ice Cream!|access-date=August 16, 2019}}</ref> and [[Be'er Tuvia]], Israel.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Magazine/Cookies-n-cream-and-tikkun-olam-575562|title=The scoop on Ben & Jerry's in Israel|work=The Jerusalem Post |last=Hoffman |first=Carl |date=December 29, 2018|access-date=July 27, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Krueger">{{cite news |last=Krueger |first=Hanna |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/15/metro/its-been-58-days-since-ben-jerrys-posted-social-media-heres-how-their-silence-may-be-tied-middle-east |title=It's been nearly two months since Ben & Jerry's posted on social media. Here's how its silence may be tied to the Middle East |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |url-access=limited |date=July 15, 2021 |access-date=July 16, 2021 }}</ref> The Israeli facility was sold to its local licensee in June 2022.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=29 June 2022 |title=Unilever reaches new business arrangement for Ben & Jerry's in Israel |url=https://www.unilever.com/news/press-and-media/press-releases/2022/unilever-reaches-new-business-arrangement-for-ben-jerrys-in-israel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629225158/https://www.unilever.com/news/press-and-media/press-releases/2022/unilever-reaches-new-business-arrangement-for-ben-jerrys-in-israel/ |archive-date=29 June 2022 |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=Unilever |language=en-GB}}</ref>

On May 15, 2023, the company announced [[Dave Stever]] as the new CEO after the preceding CEO, Matthew McCarthy, retired from the company.<ref name="SteverCEO">{{Cite web |title=Ben & Jerry's elevates Stever to CEO |url=https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/23821-ben-and-jerrys-elevates-stever-to-ceo |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Food Business News |language=en}}</ref>

On March 18, 2025, the company stated in a court filing that Unilever had unlawfully removed Stever as CEO in retaliation for social and political activism.<ref name="ap-19mar2025">{{cite news |last1=Durbin |first1=Dee-Ann |title=Ben & Jerry’s alleges parent company Unilever removed its CEO over social activism |url=https://apnews.com/article/unilever-ben-jerrys-ice-cream-ceo-activism-f0dfc60035b7a3e57e11421f5494c0c7 |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=March 19, 2025}}</ref>

====Changes in packaging====
In 2001, Ben & Jerry's U.S. completed the transition to "Eco-Pint" packaging, which packaged all pint flavors in environmentally friendly [[Bleaching of wood pulp|unbleached]] [[paperboard]] Eco-Pint containers, a decision it later reversed. The use of [[Kraft paper|brown-kraft]] unbleached paperboard had been a critical first step toward a totally biodegradable pint made without added chlorine.

Due to what they described as increasing supply, quality, and cost challenges, Ben & Jerry's discontinued the use of the Eco-Pint in 2006, transitioning to a pint container made out of a bleached paperboard that it said was more readily available.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.benjerry.com/about-us/sear-reports/2006-sear-report |title=2006 Social & Environmental Assessment Report |publisher=Ben & Jerry's |access-date=May 12, 2016}}</ref>

====Opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge====
On [[Earth Day]] in 2005, when a vote in the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] proposed the [[Arctic Refuge drilling controversy|opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling]], Ben & Jerry's launched a protest by creating the largest ever [[Baked Alaska]], which weighed {{convert|900|lb}}, and placed it in front of the [[United States Capitol Building|U.S. Capitol Building]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Courson |first1=Paul |title=Oil-drilling protesters bring dessert |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/04/22/anwr.protests/ |access-date=28 February 2022 |work=CNN |date=April 22, 2005}}</ref>

====April Fool's Day joke====
In March 2009, "CyClone Dairy" launched an advertising campaign and a website to promote its milk products, which purportedly came exclusively from cloned cows.<ref name=cyclone>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclonedairy.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330053234/http://www.cyclonedairy.com/|website=cyclonedairy.com|archive-date=March 30, 2012|title=CyClone Dairy – Perfect Cows. Perfect Milk|url-status=usurped|date=March 30, 2012}}</ref> On April 1, 2009 ([[April Fool's Day]]), Ben & Jerry's announced that it was behind this fake company. Ben & Jerry's had created the tongue-in-cheek hoax to raise awareness of the increasing presence of products from cloned animals within American food<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Paynter |first=Ben |url=https://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/15-11/ff_clonedmeat?currentPage=all |title=Cloned Beef (and Pork and Milk): It's What's for Dinner |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url-access=limited |access-date=April 2, 2010 |date=October 16, 2007}}</ref> and to campaign for a tracking system of cloned animal products.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ga3.org/campaign/CloneTracking |title=Take Action: Tell Congress to create a tracking system for cloned animals! |website=Ga3.org |access-date=April 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416053210/http://ga3.org/campaign/CloneTracking |archive-date=April 16, 2010 }}</ref> The hoax was revealed on April Fool's Day with the message: "We believe you should have the right to choose which foods you eat — and not to eat cloned foods if you don't want to. And that's why Ben & Jerry's believes we need a national clone tracking system, so people and companies can know where their food is coming from."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benjerry.com/activism/inside-the-pint/more-about-milk/cow-cloning/ |title=Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream – Cow Cloning |work=Ben & Jerry's |access-date=April 2, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100426190941/http://www.benjerry.com/activism/inside-the-pint/more-about-milk/cow-cloning/| archive-date= April 26, 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

====GMO-free====
In 2013, Ben & Jerry's committed to making their products [[GMO]]-free in support of mandatory GMO labeling legislation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benjerry.com/about-us#5timeline |title=Our History |publisher=Ben & Jerry's |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref>

[[Image:Freeconeday cowgirl.jpg|thumb|Woman in cow costume promoting Free Cone Day outside a Ben & Jerry's shop in [[Stockholm]], Sweden]]

====Sales in Israel and Palestinian Territories====
On July 19, 2021, it was announced that Ben & Jerry's planned to end sales in [[Palestinian territories|Occupied Palestinian Territory]], within which Israeli settlements are considered [[International law and Israeli settlements|illegal under international law]].<ref name=Guardian>{{cite web |last=Hage |first=Mark |date=August 5, 2021 |title=We got Ben & Jerry's to stop selling in Israeli settlements. Here's how we did it|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/05/ben-jerrys-israel-settlement |work=The Guardian |access-date=August 25, 2021}}</ref> Due to the refusal of American Quality Products - Ben & Jerry's Israel, its local franchisee since 1987,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 10, 2015 |title=Ben & Jerry's Business in Israel |url=https://www.benjerry.com/whats-new/2015/ben-and-jerrys-business-in-israel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205102616/https://www.benjerry.com/whats-new/2015/ben-and-jerrys-business-in-israel |archive-date=February 5, 2017 |access-date=September 2, 2023 |website=Ben & Jerry's |language=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Avi Zinger |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/avi-zinger-8005226/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230902064217/https://www.linkedin.com/in/avi-zinger-8005226/ |archive-date=2 September 2023 |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref> to comply with this policy, the company statement said it did not plan to renew the franchise in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 19, 2021 |title=Ben & Jerry's Will End Sales of Our Ice Cream in the Occupied Palestinian Territory |url=https://www.benjerry.com/about-us/media-center/opt-statement |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805045255/https://www.benjerry.com/about-us/media-center/opt-statement |archive-date=August 5, 2021 |access-date=September 2, 2023 |website=Ben & Jerry's}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Elia-Shalev |first=Asaf |date=2021-07-19 |title=Breaking a 2-month silence, Ben & Jerry's ice cream announces boycott of Israeli West Bank settlements |url=https://www.jta.org/2021/07/19/israel/ben-jerrys-ice-cream-announces-boycott-of-israeli-west-bank-settlements |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |language=}}</ref> The decision may run foul of [[anti-BDS laws]] and policies in a number of US states.<ref name=jpost210721>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/how-us-laws-against-israel-boycotts-could-hit-ben-and-jerrys-674466|title=How US laws against Israel boycotts could hit Ben & Jerry's |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |first=Ron |last=Kampeas |date=July 21, 2021 |access-date=July 23, 2021}}</ref> The statement, issued by Unilever, was criticized by Ben & Jerry's independent board of directors, which had not wanted to comment on the continuation of sales in other parts of Israel, as this required board approval.<ref name=IsraelBoycott>{{cite web |last=Solon |first=Olivia |date=July 20, 2021 |title=Ben & Jerry's withdraws sales from Israeli settlements but clashes with parent company Unilever |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/ben-jerry-s-withdraws-sales-israeli-settlements-clashes-parent-company-n1274403 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=August 25, 2021}}</ref>

On June 29, 2022, Unilever announced that it had sold its Ben & Jerry's division in Israel to American Quality Products, the company that had the exclusive license to sell Ben & Jerry's products in Israel and the Palestinian territories.<ref name=":0" /> Later that day, Ben & Jerry's tweeted that it disagreed with its parent company's decision and that the "arrangement means Ben & Jerry's in Israel will be owned and operated by AQP. Our company will no longer profit from Ben & Jerry's in Israel. We continue to believe it is inconsistent with Ben & Jerry's values for our ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory."<ref>{{Cite tweet |author= Ben & Jerry's |user= benandjerrys |number= 1542241528470437890 |date= June 30, 2022 |title= We are aware of the Unilever announcement |script-title= |trans-title= |language= |retweet= |location= |access-date= August 22, 2022 |link= |url-status= |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220629234842/https://twitter.com/benandjerrys/status/1542241528470437890 |archive-date= June 29, 2022 |quote= "We are aware of the Unilever announcement. While our parent company has taken this decision, we do not agree with it. Unilever's arrangement means Ben & Jerry's in Israel will be owned and operated by AQP. Our company will no longer profit from Ben & Jerry's in Israel. We continue to believe it is inconsistent with Ben & Jerry's values for our ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory." |ref=}}</ref>

====Free cones====
Every year, over one million cones are given away, prompting the company's ad slogan "Be One In A Million." Charitable organizations are often present at the stores each year and enjoy a significant amount of fundraising success. Often, local celebrities show up at various stores, promoting the day and the charities there.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.vegasnews.com/6178/ben-jerry%e2%80%99s-31st-annual-free-cone-day-serves-more-than-7300-scoops-raises-money-for-local-charities.html | title = Ben & Jerry's 31st Annual "Free Cone Day" Serves More Than 7,300 Scoops & Raises Money for Local Charities | date = April 22, 2009 | website = VegasNews.com | access-date = February 28, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130113140945/http://www.vegasnews.com/6178/ben-jerry%e2%80%99s-31st-annual-free-cone-day-serves-more-than-7300-scoops-raises-money-for-local-charities.html | archive-date = January 13, 2013 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Sometimes the event is scheduled to coincide with [[Earth Day]] and sometimes volunteers are on hand with clipboards and voter registration forms to help those who would like to register to vote (in those countries where that is necessary).

Due to the start of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, Free Cone Day was on hiatus<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ries |first1=Brian |last2=Guzman |first2=Francisco |title=Ben & Jerry's postpones Free Cone Day over coronavirus fears|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/business/ben--jerrys-free-cone-day-trnd/index.html |access-date=28 February 2022 |work=CNN Business |date=March 10, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> through 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/free-cone-day |title=Free Cone Day |publisher=Ben & Jerry's |access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>

====Reduction of farm emissions====
In May 2022, the company announced the launch of its pilot project, 'Mootopia', across 15 of its supplier farms (7 in the US and 8 in the Netherlands). The goal of the project is to bring the emissions intensity of the farms to a level that is half of the US industry average by the end of 2024. The farms will be supported to adopt [[regenerative agriculture]] practices for growing grass and other feed crops.<ref>{{cite web |last1=George |first1=Sarah |title=Ben & Jerry's pilots regenerative agriculture scheme to cut dairy farm emissions |url=https://www.edie.net/ben-jerrys-pilots-regenerative-agriculture-scheme-to-cut-dairy-farm-emissions/ |website=edie |access-date=30 May 2022 |date=May 9, 2022}}</ref>

====Child labor scandal====
Months after teaming up with [[Tony's Chocolonely]] to raise awareness for ending modern slavery and child labor in the chocolate industry, Ben and Jerry's suppliers were found by ''The New York Times'' to be employing illegal migrant children in early 2023. Ben & Jerry's head of values-led sourcing, Cheryl Pinto, said that "if migrant children needed to work full time, it was preferable for them to have jobs at a well-monitored workplace".<ref>{{Cite web| title=Ben & Jerry's addresses modern slavery in the supply chain with Tony's Chocolonely partnership | url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90780513/ben-and-jerrys-modern-slavery-supply-chain-tonys-chocolate |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=Fast Company |language=en}}</ref><ref name="nytmcw">{{cite news |last1=Dreier |first1=Hannah |title=Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/25/us/unaccompanied-migrant-child-workers-exploitation.html |work=The New York Times |date=2023-02-28}}</ref>

===="Progress Comes in Many Flavors" campaign====

In July 2024, Ben and Jerry's started an ad campaign called "Progress Comes in Many Flavors," a series of advertisements that strongly encouraged progressive action.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Let's Make Some Motherchunkin' Change! |website=Ben & Jerry's |url=https://www.benjerry.com/actnow}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwZWGaC3fOk |title=Progress Comes In Many Flavors |date=2024-07-19 |last=Ben & Jerry's |access-date=2024-10-04 |via=YouTube}}</ref>