About the Campaign
The Free Ben & Jerry’s campaign and movement was launched by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield on September 9th 2025. The campaign mission is simple: to call for The Magnum Ice Cream Company to allow Ben & Jerry’s to become an independently owned company, with socially-aligned investors and once again free to honor its social mission and live by its brand values, without compromise.
This campaign draws inspiration from Ben & Jerry’s legacy of activism. Since its inception 47 years ago, Ben & Jerry’s has proven that business can be about more than just profit. It has shown that you can make great products, treat people fairly, and fight for justice at the same time. It’s what people have loved about the brand since it was founded, a company that stands for something.
Since 2021, under Unilever and now Magnum’s ownership, the company’s mission, brand values, and independence have been repeatedly compromised, resulting in multiple lawsuits between the Independent Board and its parent company. That’s why, in an effort to catalyze this movement, Ben Cohen gatecrashed the Magnum Capital Market Day in London, and Jerry Greenfield resigned from the company he founded 47 years ago.
Following Jerry’s resignation from Ben & Jerry’s, and his decision to step back, this campaign continues to be spearheaded by Ben, and fuelled by the incredible growing community of people across the globe who collectively are calling for brands to stand for more than just profit, and for Unilever/Magnum to Free Ben & Jerry’s.
Ben brings 100,000+ signatures for a Free Ben & Jerry’s to Magnum HQ
We’ve seen over 100,000 signatures from people around the globe, on petitions and letters, calling on Magnum to free Ben & Jerry’s. But Magnum has refused these demands, and is hoping the problem goes away with time.
So on April 7, 2026, Ben Cohen brought those demands to the doorstep of the muzzling corporate parent at Magnum’s HQ in Amsterdam.
While Ben was welcomed into the lobby, Magnum employees did not accept the box of petitions. Ben was sent back outside without being allowed to meet decision makers and present the public’s demands for a free Ben & Jerry’s.
Magnum is now embroiled in multiple lawsuits regarding Ben & Jerry’s, and still refuses to engage with the founders, ex-employees, and the several thousand consumers who built the brand’s value.
Open letters to the TMICC board and investors
On September 9, 2025, the co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, sent two open letters to the board of The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC) and its prospective investors. The letters called for the ice cream brand to be released from its parent company and allowed to operate as an independent entity again.
Click the buttons below to read more about why.
Ben’s Protest
On September 9, 2025, Ben Cohen picketed outside of Magnum’s Capital Markets Day in Central London, to bring home the message to Magnum that it must free Ben & Jerry’s.
Press play on the video below to hear Ben’s message.
Jerry’s Resignation
On September 17, 2025, Jerry resigned as an employee of Ben & Jerry’s after 47 years. It was one of the hardest and most painful decisions he’s ever made. Play the video and read his letter below to find out more about why.
