Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen has publicly appealed to Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan to reconsider her association with Unilever and its ice-cream brand Magnum, calling on her to take a stronger position on the situation in Palestine.
Cohen addressed Kapoor in a post on X on August 21, referring to her long-standing relationship with Magnum and her previous comments condemning violence against Palestinian children.
According to Cohen, Kapoor has represented Unilever for more than a decade and has previously used her public platform to speak against violence involving Palestinian children. He argued that her position could go further and encouraged her to use her influence on the issue.
Cohen has been an outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza and has also raised concerns about the corporate relationship between Ben & Jerry’s and its parent companies.
Dispute involving Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum
The comments come amid an ongoing corporate dispute surrounding Ben & Jerry’s. Following changes to Unilever’s ice-cream business in 2025, the brand became part of the Magnum Ice Cream Company.
The dispute has also involved disagreements over Ben & Jerry’s social-activism policies. Legal proceedings have seen the company and members of its independent board raise allegations concerning interference with its social mission, claims that have been disputed.
On August 21, a US judge dismissed several claims in the lawsuit and ruled that Magnum would become the primary defendant moving forward.
Against this backdrop, Cohen called on Kapoor to consider the wider implications of her association with Magnum. He also encouraged his followers to bring the issue to the actor’s attention and promoted hashtags including #BoycottMagnum and #FreeBenAndJerrys.
Cohen has continued to speak publicly about the Gaza conflict and corporate responsibility through social media and activism.
His appeal to Kareena Kapoor has now added a celebrity endorsement angle to the broader debate surrounding Palestine, corporate responsibility and the role of public figures in international issues.
