Ben & Jerry's brand could be destroyed, says co-founder

Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen has warned that the ice cream brand faces destruction under its current ownership by Magnum Ice Cream Company, which recently spun off from Unilever through a European stock market listing. The conflict centers on a longstanding dispute over Ben & Jerry's independent board and its ability to pursue social activism, which was guaranteed when Unilever acquired the company in 2000. Magnum has declared that board chair Anuradha Mittal no longer qualifies to serve following an internal audit, though Mittal claims this is a manufactured attack meant to undermine the board's authority.