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The co-founder of ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s says that its parent company Unilever blocked it from launching an ice cream flavour that expressed “solidarity with Palestine”.

Ben Cohen announced that he will independently create the new flavour as part of a personal series highlighting causes the company has been barred from addressing publicly.

Ben & Jerry’s is known for its activism on social issues and has consistently spoken out on political, environmental and humanitarian matters – including the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The BBC has contacted Unilever for comment.

Mr Cohen’s statement deepens the long-drawn dispute between the world-famous ice cream maker and Unilever, the British packaged goods giant which has owned Ben & Jerry’s since 2000.

The co-founders said Unilever and its ice cream arm Magnum, which is being spun off from its parent company, had unlawfully blocked their company from “honouring its social mission”.

Mr Cohen said in an Instagram video on Tuesday that he is creating a new watermelon-flavoured sorbet, calling for ideas for the product’s name and what ingredients should be added.

The watermelon has become a symbol for solidarity with Palestinians due to its colours, which are similar to those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

The American entrepreneur said Ben & Jerry’s were prevented by Unilever from creating the dessert.

“I’m doing what they couldn’t,” Mr Cohen says from his set in a kitchen. “I’m making a watermelon-flavoured ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there.”

In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s refused to sell its products in areas occupied by Israel. Its Israeli operation was sold by Unilever to a local licensee, allowing its ice cream to continue being sold in the occupied West Bank.

The dessert series will be developed under Ben’s Best, Mr Cohen’s activist ice cream brand, he said in a statement to the press. The flavour is being produced independently of Ben & Jerry’s, the statement said.

Ben’s Best was first setup in 2016 to support former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, with the flavour “Bernie’s Back”.

Mr Cohen said he will develop other ice cream flavours that speak to the issues Ben & Jerry’s was silenced from addressing publicly by Unilever.

In September, co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry’s after decades at the company, citing concerns that its independence had been compromised following Unilever’s decision to curb its social activism.

At the time, Ben Cohen said that “Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it.”

“My heart leads me to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence so that it can actualise the social mission, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years,” he told the BBC’s PM programme.

29
Oct 2025

Nearly 25 million people visited Greece between January and August 2025, the country’s central bank said, marking a 4% jump from last year as non-European Union (EU) tourists drove record travel spending.

Tourism revenue surges as non-EU visitors lead way

Greece earned €16.7 billion in travel revenue from January to August 2025, up 12% from the same period last year, according to the Bank of Greece. 

Inbound travelers reached 24.9 million, up from 24.8 million in 2024, showing continued recovery in the country’s travel sector.

EU travelers still made up the majority of arrivals, but their numbers barely changed from 2024. Within the bloc, trips from Eurozone countries rose 3.8%, while those from non-Eurozone states increased 6.9%.

Air, land arrivals both rise

According to the same data, air arrivals rose 4.2%, while land border crossings were up 4.8%, highlighting solid demand from both long-haul tourists and regional travellers.

Tourism remains a “vital pillar of the national economy,” the Bank of Greece noted in its summary, adding that the country’s travel sector is on track for another strong year in 2025.

(Image courtesy of user32212 via Pixabay)

Greece dominates travel awards

Separately, Greece secured top rankings in seven categories of the 2025 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards.

Greek hotels and resorts dominated the European lists — including Porto Zante Villas & Spa (Zakynthos) and Sani Resort (Halkidiki) — while Naxos was named Europe’s Best Island with a score of 95.71.

The awards also placed Athens 12th among Europe’s best cities, praising its mix of ancient sites and new cultural energy.

Outlook for the rest of 2025

Tourism receipts and visitor volumes suggest Greece is heading for another record-breaking year.

Economists have highlighted tourism as a central driver of national income and employment, with revenue growth supported by high-spending markets beyond the EU.

The Bank of Greece said the sector’s strength “suggests another strong year for the industry as the country looks ahead to the final months of 2025.”

(Image courtesy of k5hu via iStock)

Travel rules tighten as Europe adapts to tourism growth

For short-term visitors heading to Greece or elsewhere in the Schengen Area, new border systems are set to change how people enter and leave the EU. 

The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), due to begin in late 2026, will require travelers from visa-exempt countries to apply online before their trip. 

Meanwhile, the Entry-Exit System (EES), which was launched this October, will log when non-EU visitors cross the border, replacing manual passport stamps.

Together, these systems aim to improve border security and track overstays, but they will also make travel planning more digital and time-sensitive. 

Tourists can still move freely once inside the Schengen Zone, but they will need to factor in extra steps before arrival. 

Long-term visitors and migrants will also face closer checks, as the EU updates how it monitors movement between member states.

Tourism boom set to shape Greece’s economic future

Greece’s strong tourism performance in 2025 highlights the sector’s vital role in driving the country’s economy. 

Record visitor numbers and rising travel receipts show that international demand — especially from non-EU countries — is keeping momentum high.

With the industry now a cornerstone of national growth, Greece’s focus on sustainability and year-round travel will determine how long this success can last. 

For a nation that depends on tourism more than most, maintaining that balance could shape its economic story for years to come.