Ben & Jerry’s Unilever fight shows risks of ceding control

LONDON/BOSTON – Ben & Jerry’s legal battle with Unilever sheds light on an issue affecting a growing number of purpose-led brands: how to maintain their identity after being bought by a major consumer company.

Multinational consumer groups have raced to snap up socially conscious brands in recent years, seeking to tap into a surge in demand among customers for ethical products, usually sold at a premium.

Under chief executive Alan Jope, Unilever has added to a portfolio of “purposeful” brands – from Paula’s Choice skincare products that shun animal testing to sustainably-made supplements from SmartyPants and Nutrafol.

In 2000, the company scooped up Ben & Jerry’s for…

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