Ben & Jerry’s took its parent company, Unilever, to court on Monday, August 8. The court meeting comes after Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in July after Unilever agreed to sell Ben & Jerry’s business in Israel to Avi Zinger in late June.
The Vermont-based ice cream company is known for carrying out its social justice mission, which Unilever has backed since it acquired Ben & Jerry’s.
However, the two companies’ relationship changed when Ben & Jerry’s announced on July 19, 2021, that they would no longer be selling ice cream in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” Unilever distributing to Israeli distributor Avi Zinger keeps Ben & Jerry’s business going in areas they announced they would no longer be selling in.
The famous brand initially wanted to try and block the deal, but Unilever and Zinger closed the deal before Ben and Jerry’s got the chance.
Even though Unilever’s sale in Israel was done, Ben & Jerry’s still sued its parent company. They filed an injunction against Zinger, fearing that the new Israeli owner could essentially rename or rebrand any flavor they create.
Ben & Jerry’s raised these concerns in court, where U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter did not necessarily agree with the ice cream company. Carter informed Ben & Jerry’s lawyers, “I don’t hear anything saying there is anything imminent.”
The judge did not instantly rule and did not say when he would rule either.
