3/20/23

• Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is facing boycott calls after co-founder Ben Cohen spoke out against U.S. providing military aid to Ukraine.
• Cohen believes the U.S. should use its power to negotiate an end to the war instead of supplying weapons.
• This isn’t the first time Ben & Jerry’s has faced backlash for its social views, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis taking a harsh stance against the company in 2021.

People are calling for a boycott of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream after learning that co-founder Ben Cohen is against the U.S. continuing to support Ukraine with funds and weapons.

People’s Power Initiative, a group headed and funded by Cohen, has launched Eisenhower Media Network (EMN), a project that provides journalists with access to military experts, some of which believe the U.S. is providing too much aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

It isn’t the first time the company has faced pushback for its view on social matters. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took a harsh stance against the company when Ben & Jerry’s stopped selling its ice cream in contested Israeli territories in 2021. The company also faced scrutiny when it released its “Change Is Brewing” flavor in 2019 that advocated for the right to vote. It also has been vocal about supporting the Black Lives Matter initiative since 2016.

The news has led to calls for boycott on Twitter, with some people calling Ben & Jerry’s “woke” and “fascist.” Some Twitter users pointed out that a boycott would do little considering Cohen is no longer with the company. In 2001, it was purchased by Unilever, which owns more than 400 brands in a variety of sectors, including food and home care.

EMN describes itself as “an independent resource for journalists” on its website, where it offers expert opinion on the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022. The Daily Beast reported that some of the experts said the U.S. is contributing to the war by supplying weapons and funds to Ukraine. According to the article, EMN sent email blasts to journalists regarding U.S. contributions.

“The outrageous federal spending on the Ukraine war is missing from the discussion on the national debt… It’s time to think about pausing funding for Ukraine if we cannot afford it,” said Matthew Hoh, EMN’s associate director.

https://www.newsweek.com/ben-jerrys-faces-boycott-calls-over-founders-stance-ukraine-weapons-1788962