Ben and Jerry’s ice cream on the shelf at Morton Williams in Manhattan on 24 July 2021 in New York City (Credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com)

US ice cream firm Ben & Jerry’s has reportedly taken further legal action against parent company Unilever over its business in Israel.

New agency Reuters said the Vermont-based business has filed an updated lawsuit in a US federal court claiming Unilever “covertly” moved its trademarks to a Unilever business unit in 2000 and 2001, a move which, it claims, violated the terms of their merger agreement.

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It is the latest move in an ugly legal spat between the companies following Unilever’s sale in June of Ben & Jerry’s business in Israel to a local licensee, Avi Zinger.

That stemmed from the decision a year earlier by Ben & Jerry’s founders to end sales in what they called Occupied Palestinian Territory because it was “inconsistent with its values”.

That decision, taken independently from Unilever, created a backlash against both Ben & Jerry’s and its parent in Israel, with senior politicians there claiming it demonstrated anti-Israeli sentiment and anti-semitism.

In its updated lawsuit, lodged on Friday (30 September), Ben & Jerry’s said it only learned about its trademarks being moved from recent court filings. It is seeking damages and wants the trademarks returned. It has also asked a judge to stop Zinger from selling the ice cream in the West Bank.

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Ben & Jerry’s originally filed a lawsuit against Unilever in July to try to block the sale of its business in Israel, arguing it violated the original merger and shareholder agreement.

In August, a judge rejected Ben & Jerry’s bid to immediately stop sales in the West Bank, saying the manufacturer did not show it would suffer irreparable harm.

Ben & Jerry’s launched a new challenge in September, seeking a planned amendment against Unilever’s sale.

When contacted by Just Food about its latest court filing, a Ben & Jerry’s spokesperson said it would not be “covertly” while legal proceedings are ongoing.

Just Food has also contacted Unilever seeking a response to Ben & Jerry’s latest move.