By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Unilever on Friday rejected the claim it tried to oust former Ben & Jerry’s chief executive Dave Stever for supporting his company’s progressive social activism, saying it offered him a bigger role and more pay but he chose to resign.
In a court filing, Unilever also sought the dismissal of Ben & Jerry’s lawsuit seeking to stop its alleged efforts to dismantle its board and end its activism, which has included protesting the war in Gaza and attempting to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump.
Unilever called the lawsuit a vehicle for Ben & Jerry’s Chair Anuradha Mittal to denigrate it, while the ice cream maker pursued a “staunchly pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli stance” that caused Unilever to lose investors and see its reputation tarred.
Shahmeer Halepota, a lawyer for Ben & Jerry’s, called Unilever’s “revisionism” a “thinly-veiled attempt to save face in the context of its threats, professional reprisals, and ban on criticizing the Trump administration’s policies.”
Unilever said Stever, who began working at Ben & Jerry’s in 1988, voluntarily resigned on March 31 despite being offered a pay increase and a “prominent role in the larger global ice cream business,” which Unilever is spinning off.
It accused Mittal of using the press to air confidential employment discussions and make false accusations to further her agenda, rather than work with Unilever in good faith.
Ben & Jerry’s has said Unilever’s efforts to silence its activism violated an agreement the companies signed in 2000, when London-based Unilever bought the Vermont-based maker of Cherry Garcia.
Earlier this week, Unilever said its spinoff of Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, Magnum and other ice creams was on track, with the business operating on a standalone basis by July 1 and being reported separately in the fourth quarter.
It also said Ben & Jerry’s was not for sale.
Unilever is simplifying a portfolio whose dozens of other brands include Dove, Hellmann’s, Knorr, Surf and Vaseline.
The case is Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc v Unilever et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 24-08641.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
