i find it hard to be sympathetic here. they sold their business to unilever, a multinational consumer goods company, for $326m in 2000 ($613m in today's money).
25 years later, jerry thinks the company has lost its independence? the independence was lost before the ink dried on the sales agreement. unilever never cared about their social mission, period. they've been "dealing" with it since the acquisition.
why not take the sale proceeds and pursue other social missions? btw, phish food is my favorite flavor! <3
dtagames · 11m ago
Indeed, this was a big point of comment when it happened. The "natural" ice cream maker sold to the people who make dish soap and Slimfast.
I'm not against selling out, but feigned surprise seems a bit out of place.
gausswho · 33m ago
Unilever turned down an offer to buy back for a cool two billionish, as the article mentions.
I would love to see the legal catfight as a new brand called GFBJ (Genocide-Free Ben and Jerry's) opens for sale across a series of supermarkets coinciding with a boycott of Unilever products.
One can dream.
Beestie · 7m ago
Burt of Burt's Bees on line one...
WastedCucumber · 1h ago
Sounds like Unilever's communication was half baked, and now Jerry isn't feeling so cherry (garcia) anymore... I hope they work it out before the whole operation turns into phish food.
25 years later, jerry thinks the company has lost its independence? the independence was lost before the ink dried on the sales agreement. unilever never cared about their social mission, period. they've been "dealing" with it since the acquisition.
why not take the sale proceeds and pursue other social missions? btw, phish food is my favorite flavor! <3
I'm not against selling out, but feigned surprise seems a bit out of place.
I would love to see the legal catfight as a new brand called GFBJ (Genocide-Free Ben and Jerry's) opens for sale across a series of supermarkets coinciding with a boycott of Unilever products.
One can dream.