Jerry quits Ben & Jerry's, saying its independence on social issues has been stifled (after corporate sellout)
https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/ben-jerry-s-co-founder-greenfield-leaves-ice-21052547.php
https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/ben-jerry-s-co-founder-greenfield-leaves-ice-21052547.php
16 Comments
zabadoh@ani.social · 86 pts · 329d
Who could have guessed that selling out to a multinational corporation would compromise your independence on social issues?
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip · 58 pts · 329d
I mean... they sold the company over 25 years ago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_%26_Jerry%27s#Unilever_era). They apparently had a lot of contractual clauses to let them continue with activism. And 25 years is a real good run.
Which is also what makes me really curious why it finally collapsed. Apparently Ben was spewing some real tanky bullshit with respect to Ukraine so it might not even be that Unilever's lawyers finally found the loophole they needed.
onslaught545@lemmy.zip · 22 pts · 329d
It was because Unilever was selling the ice cream in Israel and trying to suppress their pro Palestine messaging.
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 329d
Yes. That is the reported incident that finally led to the breakdown. But, regardless of what social media has taught us, this is not the first time israel has commit systematic genocide against Palestine and not even the first time B&J have publicly spoken out against it.
Its possible that the clause really was that B&J could say whatever they want to but not control sales contracts. But that also feels like one of those obvious things to put in said contractual requirements even 25 years ago.
And it is definitely tinfoil. But I've seen similar contracts/clauses in startups and research groups that were acquired. And a lot of times it boils down to "All business related actions will be brought up to a vote by the N people who signed this document or their legally designated proxy. Majority wins".
Aatube@kbin.melroy.org · 2 pts · 328d
It's Jerry who quit, though, not Ben
zabadoh@ani.social · 1 pts · 329d
When you put it that way, that is a lot longer than I would have expected it to last.
But it would have come sooner or later.
SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org · 6 pts · 329d
Really... They're usually so nice and humane...
Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 329d
Looking forward to the inevitable release of Corporate Takeover Crunch!
aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com · 15 pts · 329d
zabadoh@ani.social · 6 pts · 328d
I never really thought about it, but you're right.
B&J Cherry Garcia for example, lists among other ingredients: Guar Gum, Carrageenan, and Soy Lecithin, which are thickeners and emulsifiers, and would probably meet the proposed California definition of highly processed foods
The one rival brand that I looked at, Haagen Dazs, has very simple ingredient lists. Cherry Vanilla for example has only Pectin as a recognizable thickener.
aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com · 2 pts · 328d
FatTony@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 328d
Too bad it's owned by Nestle.
acockworkorange@mander.xyz · 1 pts · 328d
And tastes awful.
HeyJoe@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 329d
They changed the original recipes?
DarkCloud@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 329d
Corporations these never dying Zombies that exist beyond and regardless of the lives operating them...
ARE THE BIGGEST EXISTENTIAL RISK TO HUMANITY, DEMOCRACY, AND ALL LIFE ON THIS PLANET
We need to let corporations know they can die, and be killed. We need to take their immortality back, and give the people back their right to individual humanity.
PM_ME_VINTAGE_30S@lemmy.sdf.org · 8 pts · 328d
Friendly reminder that friendly capitalists are still capitalists and therefore their systems still need to be smashed 🏴🏴🏴
obsoleteacct@lemmy.zip · 7 pts · 328d
This is another one of those "I'd boycott, but I already don't buy it" products.
Greenbird@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 325d
Isnt this like the 6th time he quit now?