The beloved ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield has quit the brand amid a dispute with its British owner Unilever over social issues.
His business partner, Ben Cohen, shared a lengthy post from Jerry, where he reflected on "one of the hardest and most painful decisions" he had to make.
"Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry's has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power," Jerry said in the statement.
The 74-year-old added, "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."
Jerry and Ben sold their company to Unilever in 2000 and were guaranteed the "independence to pursue (their) values".
He shared that for two decades under the British corporation, the brand has spoken out for human rights and peace related to the global events that affect millions of people.
"It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone," Jerry noted.
The move has been praised by the internet users, who called out Unilever and shared their support for Jerry.
One user penned, "What an incredible man. sending him much love and support in whatever way needed."
Another X post read, "Respect to Jerry for standing by his values. Sometimes walking away is the strongest statement you can make."
A third user on X shared, "And this is what commitment to the cause looks like. it's so sad it had to come to that, but he has to stay true to his values. wow."
The ice-cream brand's relationship with its British owner has been less than ideal in recent years.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ended its sales in occupied Palestinian territories, saying it's inconsistent with the values of the socially conscious brand, a move that triggered backlash from Israel.
Furthermore, in January, the ice cream company alleged that Unilever "unilaterally barred" a post referencing abortion, climate change and universal healthcare because it mentioned President Donald Trump.
In May, Ben Cohen was arrested during a protest in the US Senate over military aid to Israel and humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
Last year, Ben & Jerry's also filed a lawsuit against the parent company, accusing it of censoring its public statements to support Palestinian refugees and resolutions to end military aid to Israel.