Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s have stated that chief executive David Stever has been forced out – by parent company Unilever.
The London Stock Market-listed conglomerate, which sells and owns the brands of a huge range of items from Dove to Marmite, bought Ben & Jerry’s in 2000.
During that process an independent board was created two protect the values of Ben & Jerry’s, which has long held an activist approach to, in their own words, help “meet human needs and eliminate injustices in our local, national, and international communities”. Causes the company has spoken out on include the climate crisis, refugees and LGBTQ+ rights.
Now, that independent board allege that Unilever are violating the merger agreement by attempting to “silence” it, with a legal case filed in the United States claiming a decision to remove Mr Stever from his role was taken without consultation.
The filing read: “Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry’s personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever’s efforts to silence the Social Mission. On March 3 2025, Unilever informed the Independent board that they were removing and replacing Mr Stever as Ben & Jerry’s CEO.
“Unilever… attempted to force the independent board into rubberstamping the decision,” it continued, as reported by the BBC.
Mr Stever was promoted from chief marketing officer to chief executive of Ben & Jerry’s in mid-2023, having risen through the ranks since joining as a factory tour guide in 1988.
The Financial Times reported how Ben & Jerry’s previously filed a complaint over Unilever allegedly blocking calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and offering support for Palestinian refugees, a claim which Unilever rejected.
“Dave has courageously advanced the company’s social mission and values,” said Anuradha Mittal, chair of the independent board.
“What Dave hasn’t done is what Unilever would like him to do, which is to oversee the dismantling of Ben & Jerry’s mission, progressive values and the 2000 merger agreement that has protected Ben & Jerry’s position as a wholly owned autonomous subsidiary,” she added.
Unilever last month announced the surprise exit of their own CEO Hein Schumacher, with CFO Fernando Fernandez replacing him.
The FTSE 100 firm has also already decided to spin off the ice creams business as a whole, with a primary listing set to take place in Amsterdam. Unilever shares are flat across 2025 so far and up 15 per cent across the past year.
