Ben & Jerry’s has dismissed its Chief Executive, David Stever, amid a longstanding conflict with its parent company, Unilever, over the ice cream maker’s political activism. Court documents reveal that Unilever is replacing Stever, citing concerns over his outspoken stance on social issues.
The documents further allege that Unilever, a multinational consumer goods giant, took action to remove Stever following repeated disputes over the company’s history of activism. The development coincides with the U.S. government’s removal of hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members under a now-blocked authority.
According to the filings, Unilever believed that Stever’s vocal support for political causes conflicted with its corporate governance policies. The controversy intensified last month when Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever of pressuring the company to halt public criticism of Donald Trump.
Ben & Jerry’s, founded in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, was acquired by Unilever in 2000. As part of the merger agreement, an independent board was established to safeguard the brand’s mission and commitment to social causes. However, Unilever retained primary responsibility for financial and operational decisions, leading to ongoing tensions between the two entities.
One of the most notable disputes arose in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s announced it would cease selling ice cream in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, stating that continuing sales in the region would contradict the brand’s values. In response, Unilever sold the business to its Israeli licensee, effectively bypassing Ben & Jerry’s decision.
The latest court filings, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claim that Unilever sought to curb Stever’s political statements and warned him against continuing the brand’s tradition of activism.
“Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry’s personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever’s efforts to silence the social mission,” the filing alleges.
“On March 3, 2025, Unilever informed the independent board that they were removing and replacing Mr. Stever as Ben & Jerry’s CEO.”
Despite the announcement, Stever—who has been with Ben & Jerry’s since 1988, starting as a company tour guide—is still listed as CEO on the company’s website.
The conflict between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever may soon shift as Unilever plans to spin off its ice cream division into a separate company. The new company, which will include brands such as Magnum and Wall’s, is expected to be headquartered in the Netherlands, with its primary stock market listing in Amsterdam.
While the future of Ben & Jerry’s leadership remains uncertain, the move to separate Unilever’s ice cream business could signal a potential easing of tensions between the two entities. However, it remains to be seen whether the brand will continue its activist-driven identity under new leadership.
