Unilever said Thursday that legal proceedings with Ben & Jerry’s independent board over the sale of its ice cream business in Israel have been “settled.”
The company did not elaborate on how the lawsuit was resolved.
Unilever sold its Ben & Jerry’s ice cream business in June to local licensee Avi Zinger in Israel and the West Bank for an undisclosed sum. The following month, Ben & Jerry’s tried to block the sale by filing a lawsuit against the Unilever subsidiary.
The Vermont-based ice cream brand said last year it did not want to sell its products on the occupied West Coast because it did not align with its values. Ben & Jerry’s products have been sold in Israel for decades.
In an updated lawsuit filed in September, Ben & Jerry’s said it is seeking damages and the return of the trademarks. The company also asked a judge to stop Zinger from selling ice cream on the West Coast.
Ben & Jerry’s declined to comment, and Ben & Jerry’s independent board did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Avi Zinger said in a statement Thursday: “I am pleased that the litigation between Unilever and the independent board of Ben & Jerry’s has been resolved.
“There is no change in the agreement I made with Unilever at the beginning of the year. I look forward to continuing to produce and sell Ben & Jerry’s great-tasting ice cream under the Hebrew and Arabic brands throughout Israel and the West Bank in the future.”
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