Frosty Battle Between Ben ⁘ Jerry's And Unilever Takes A New Twist As Ice Cream Brand Claims...

In an amended complaint filed in New York on Tuesday night, the Vermont-based ice cream brand claimed that Unilever criticized former chief executive, David Stever, during his most recent annual performance review for "repeatedly acquiesce[ing] to the demands of the Independent Social Mission board."

The parent company then fired Mr. Stever — without approval from an independent board — over his "commitment to Ben ⁘ Jerry's Social Mission and Essential Brand Integrity" and not due to "any genuine concerns regarding his performance history," the filing states. Ben ⁘ Jerry's lawyers claim that such a move violated a stipulation in its 2000 merger with Unilever that "protects Ben ⁘ Jerry's interests by precluding the unilateral removal of its CEO."

Unilever, which bought Ben ⁘ Jerry's in 2000, agreed to allow the ice cream brand to maintain its social mission, but stipulated that it would have the final say on matters related to operations and finances.

Source: Found here