Unilever has appointed Jochanan Senf as the new CEO for Ben & Jerry’s amid an ongoing dispute with the ice cream brand’s board. Senf, who has been closely involved with the Ben & Jerry’s brand for seven years, brings a wealth of knowledge about the product, its economic impact, and its social mission.
The announcement comes at a time when Ben & Jerry’s is embroiled in a legal battle with Unilever over the removal of its former CEO, Dave Stever. The ice cream brand alleges that Stever was fired for supporting its social mission, rather than due to his job performance. Ben & Jerry’s has accused Unilever of attempting to silence its social mission and prevent it from making public statements on issues such as advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza.
As part of Unilever’s acquisition of Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, an agreement was reached that allowed the ice cream brand’s independent board to pursue its social mission, while giving Unilever final say on financial and operational matters. However, the recent appointment of Senf as CEO was made without the involvement of Ben & Jerry’s board, further escalating the dispute.
Unilever is planning to spin off its ice cream business, including Ben & Jerry’s, into a new company called The Magnum Ice Cream Company later this year. Despite the ongoing conflict, Ben & Jerry’s remains a leading brand in the U.S. ice cream market, with sales of $951 million in 2023 according to Statista. The U.S. ice cream market is valued at over $19 billion, indicating the brand’s significant presence in the industry.
