June 29, 2022 — New York, NY
American Jewish Committee today welcomed the news that Unilever has sold its Ben & Jerry’s business in Israel to a local licensee, clearing the way for the brand to once again be sold throughout the West Bank and Israel.
Ben & Jerry’s is owned by Unilever but has an independent board. The Ben & Jerry’s board did not renew its license agreement in Israel, after saying it was “inconsistent” with its values. Unilever still retained operational and financial decisions tied to the brand, which enabled the company to complete the sale following a public uproar.
AJC released this statement:
We commend Unilever for its decision to sell its Ben & Jerry’s business in Israel to a local company. This action by Unilever acknowledges that the decision by Ben & Jerry’s independent board to halt sales in the West Bank and Jerusalem and hand a win to the BDS movement was a profoundly bad idea. We also welcome Unilever’s statement that it unequivocally rejects any form of discrimination or intolerance and its recognition that antisemitism has no place in society, especially in Israel. Now, Ben & Jerry’s can go back to doing what it does best, without adding a scoop of misplaced social justice that left a sour taste. We hope other corporations will learn from this episode and take it to heart.
