Jerry Greenfield, the co-founder of the Ben & Jerry's ice cream brand, has officially quit the business after he said he concluded that his core values of spreading love and fighting for equity and justice are "no longer possible" at the company.
Ben Cohen, his co-founder, first shared the news Tuesday in a post on social media stating his longtime business partner would be resigning.
"I never thought I would have to write this, but after 47 years Jerry has made the difficult decision to stand down from the company we built together," Cohen stated in the caption. "I am sharing his own words as he resigns from Ben & Jerry’s."
"His legacy deserves to be true to the values we founded this company on, not silenced by @magnum," Cohen said addressing the ice cream company owned by Unilever.
"It's with a broken heart that I've decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry's. I am resigning from the company Ben and I started back in 1978. This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I've ever made," the statement from Greenfield began. "This isn't because I've lost my love for the people at Ben & Jerry's. Quite the opposite."
Greenfield went on to explain that what made their business "more than just an ice cream company, was the independence to pursue our values, which was guaranteed when Unilever bought the company."
In 2000, Unilever purchased the iconic Vermont-based ice cream brand that built a reputation on advocacy around social missions that seek to eliminate injustices in communities.
Under its ownership, Greenfield said Ben & Jerry's maintained their independence "in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company's governance structure in perpetuity. It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone."
Citing the current Trump administration, which he accused of "attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community," Greenfield emphasized that "standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important."
"Ben & Jerry's has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power. 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," Greenfield said.
A representative for the Trump Administration did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
"It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world. Coming to the conclusion that this is no longer possible at Ben & Jerry's means I can no longer remain part of Ben & Jerry's," Greenfield said. "If I can't carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward outside, with all the love and conviction I can."
A spokesperson for the Magnum Ice Cream Company said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday: "We will be forever grateful to Jerry for his role in co-founding such an amazing ice cream company, turning his passion for delicious ice cream and addressing social causes into a remarkable success story. We thank him for his service and support over many decades and wish him well in his next chapter."
The Magnum spokesperson added, "We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry's powerful values-based position in the world. We remain committed to Ben & Jerry's unique three-part mission – product, economic and social – and remain focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand. Ben & Jerry's is a proud and thriving part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company and we look forward to further building on its success."
Earlier this month, Unilever’s President of Ice Cream Peter ter Kulve who oversees Magnum, dismissed talks of selling Ben & Jerry's, Reuters first reported.
In March, Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit against Unilever, accusing the parent company of improperly removing the ice cream brand's CEO David Stever in an alleged long-running campaign of censorship over the brand's support of political causes. The lawsuit is ongoing.
A representative for Unilever told ABC News at the time that the parent company made "repeated attempts" to engage Ben & Jerry's independent board and follow "the correct process."
