Ben & Jerrys co-founder accuses Magnum of Orwellian tactics in ousting directors from lefty board

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen has accused Magnum Ice Cream Company of using “Orwellian” tactics to oust board members and muzzle the brand’s social mission – which has included support of Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.Unilever – which acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 and agreed to maintain its independent board – last week spun off its ice cream brands, including Ben & Jerry’s, into a separate company known as Magnum.Ben & Jerry’s CEO Jochanan Senf, who was appointed by Unilever, updated the board’s terms and added a nine-year limit, effectively pushing out three directors and arguing it would improve governance and transparency.But Cohen – who co-founded the lefty ice cream brand with Jerry Greenfield in 1978 – said this defense of the board changes was “Orwellian.”“They said that they’re enhancing the social mission when they’re actually destroying it.They said that they’re future-proofing the Board of Directors when they’re actually dismantling it,” Cohen told CNBC during an interview, calling it a “desperate power grab.”A Magnum spokesperson told The Post that the board changes “aim to preserve and enhance the brand’s historical social mission and safeguard its essential integrity.”Unilever did not immediately respond to The Post’s requests for comment.As part of the new term limit, Anuradha Mittal, who joined the board in 2007 and served as chair since 2018, was ousted – which Magnum said took place following “internal investigations.”“Initially, they were trying to get rid of the chairman of the [independent] board, by making these unfounded allegations that she’s ‘not fit to serve’.

They weren’t able to substantiate that, so now they’re saying, well, she served for too long,” Cohen told CNBC.“It’s arbitrary, and it’s illegal.”Cohen, who still works for Ben & Jerry’s, said he doesn’t see any value in the Magnum spin-off, which includes Ben & J...