Ben Cohen, co-founder of ice-cream model Ben & Jerry’s, has urged Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan to make use of her platform to help the model amid its dispute over its social-activism insurance policies and feedback on Gaza.
In a submit on X on August 21, Cohen referred to Kapoor’s long-standing affiliation with Unilever and Magnum and her earlier public expressions regarding violence in opposition to Palestinian youngsters. He urged her to encourage the corporate to help Ben & Jerry’s independence.
Cohen alleged that Unilever had sought to silence criticism of the Israeli authorities, together with statements by Ben & Jerry’s regarding Gaza. The allegations type a part of a wider dispute between Ben & Jerry’s and its former mother or father firm over the ice-cream maker’s social mission and skill to talk publicly on political points.
Cohen wrote that he believed Kapoor would help Ben & Jerry’s if the difficulty was dropped at her consideration. He additionally urged his followers to attract consideration to the matter by the hashtags #BoycottMagnum and #FreeBenandJerrys.
Kapoor has not publicly responded to Cohen’s newest enchantment.
Authorized dispute over Ben & Jerry’s social mission
The enchantment comes amid a authorized dispute involving Ben & Jerry’s, its impartial board and Unilever over the model’s social mission. Ben & Jerry’s and members of its impartial board have accused Unilever of interfering with its social-activism insurance policies, allegations Unilever has disputed.
On August 21, a US choose dismissed a number of claims within the lawsuit and dominated that The Magnum Ice Cream Firm, which owns Ben & Jerry’s, would change into the first defendant as an alternative of Unilever. Some claims have been allowed to proceed.
The disagreement has its roots in Ben & Jerry’s 2021 choice to cease promoting its merchandise within the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The transfer triggered tensions with Unilever over the extent of the ice-cream model’s independence and its capacity to take positions on political and social points.
Ben & Jerry’s subsequently accused Unilever of interfering with its impartial board and limiting its public statements. Unilever has rejected these allegations and denied suppressing the model’s social activism.
Unilever separated its ice-cream enterprise in 2025, creating The Magnum Ice Cream Firm, which incorporates Ben & Jerry’s. The company restructuring has not ended the dispute over the model’s governance and social mission.
