Ben & Jerry's said its parent, Unilever , decided to oust the ice cream maker's chief executive, Dave Stever, escalating a battle over the subsidiary's independence on social policy issues.
Ben & Jerry's announced that its CEO, Jostein Solheim, will step down at the end of the year, a decision made by its parent company, Unilever. This change comes amidst ongoing tensions between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever, particularly highlighted by a lawsuit filed by Ben & Jerry's against Unilever in 2022. The lawsuit was in response to Unilever's decision to sell Ben & Jerry's business in Israel, which contradicted the ice cream maker's social mission. Despite these conflicts, Ben & Jerry's has stated that Solheim's departure is not directly related to the lawsuit but is part of Unilever's broader strategy to manage its portfolio of brands. Solheim, who has been with the company for 14 years, will be replaced by Dave Stever, the current Chief Marketing Officer, effective January 1, 2024.