In a significant shift, Unilever has appointed Jochanan Senf as the new CEO of Ben & Jerry’s, following the departure of former head Dave Stever in March.
According to the independent board of Ben & Jerry’s, Stever was removed earlier this year primarily for advocating the company’s social activism, which includes issues like immigration, Black Lives Matter, and pro-Palestinian initiatives.
In March, Ben & Jerry’s filed a legal case in New York, alleging that Unilever had ousted Stever without the approval of the subsidiary’s own board. This action, Ben & Jerry’s contends, violated an agreement designed to safeguard its independence and commitment to social activism.
Per the 2000 acquisition agreement, Unilever pledged to maintain an independent board at the Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s, dedicated to preserving the brand’s social mission.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Ben & Jerry’s board was not given the opportunity to interview candidates to succeed Stever.
In response, Unilever asserted that it “repeatedly sought to collaborate in good faith with the Independent Board regarding the selection of the new CEO.” They firmly stated, “Any claims that the Independent Board was excluded from the search process are simply incorrect.”
Disagreements between the two entities began in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s announced it would halt sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, prompting backlash in Israel and threats of a boycott against Unilever products. In June 2022, Unilever decided to sell its ice cream operations in Israel, aiming to resolve the contentious diplomatic issues.
In November, Ben & Jerry’s initiated a lawsuit, claiming that Unilever attempted to prevent it from expressing support for Palestinian refugees. Unilever has dismissed these claims.
In February, another court filing revealed that Ben & Jerry’s alleged Unilever tried to prohibit it from publicly criticizing former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Moving forward, Unilever plans to spin off its ice cream business later this year, with the newly-formed company set to be listed in Amsterdam, London, and New York.
Unilever’s statement described Senf as an “ice cream veteran,” emphasizing that his career has been “deeply entwined with Ben & Jerry’s.” Notably, Senf spent seven years as Managing Director for Ben & Jerry’s in Europe.
With more than 20 years at Unilever, including his role at Ben & Jerry’s, Senf has been the general manager for Unilever’s food business in the DACH region since 2022.
The statement underscored that this experience enabled him to grasp the significance and impact of Ben & Jerry’s unique three-part mission — product, economic, and social — which is crucial for the business’s success and its positive influence on communities.
In 2024, Unilever’s ice-cream business achieved a turnover of €8.3bn ($9.7bn), marking a 4.5% increase compared to the previous year. The newly demerged entity will be named The Magnum Ice Cream Company and will be based in the Netherlands.