Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's decided not to sell its product in the Palestinian territories, claiming that it didn't want to be part of an illegal occupation. But that stance got the company in trouble with its parent company. And the conflict turned ugly. Plus, learn the English expression "take exception to."
Also in Today's Lesson
Transcript
The bitter fight between Ben & Jerryâs and Unilever
Lesson summary
Hi everyone, Iâm Jeff and this is Plain English lesson number 502. JR is the producer, you met him last week. He has uploaded all the content for the full lesson to PlainEnglish.com/502. The full content includes a free transcript, a how-to video, practice exercises, and more. PlainEnglish.com/502.
Last week, you heard about theâletâs call it âunique arrangementâ that Ben & Jerryâs has with its parent company. If you havenât heard that lesson, you can find it at PlainEnglish.com/501. But as a reminder, hereâs what happened: In the year 2000, Ben & Jerryâs sold itself to Unilever, the food giant .
As a condition of the sale, Unilever was required to let Ben & Jerryâs keep its own Board of Directors, and that Board of Directors would control the brandâs social mission. For over twenty years, this arrangement seemed to work for both sides. Ben & Jerryâs continued to be the socially-conscious company. Unilever got the benefit of owning a premium ice cream brand. But that all fell apart this year, and thatâs what todayâs lesson is about.
In the second half, weâll talk about the expression âtake exception toâ and we have a quote of the week. Letâs get going!
A bitter fight over a sweet product
Ben & Jerryâs ice cream is sold in about 35 countries. You can find it in all of North America, Brazil, most of Europe, and parts of Asia and the Caribbean. You can find it in Israel, where thereâs a Ben & Jerryâs factory, and you could even get the companyâs unique flavors in the Palestinian territory.
The Palestinian territory. These are three disputed areas, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Israel took control of this land in the Six Day War in 1967 and Israel has controlled it ever since. The United Nations considers this an illegal occupation, a violation of international law. Israel disagrees.
Ben & Jerryâs makes ice cream. As an ice cream maker , it had not taken a political stance on whether Israelâs occupation was legal or not. Most companies donât take political stands on something so divisive.
But Ben & Jerryâs also has a history of social activism. And on July 19, 2021, Ben & Jerryâs issued a press release saying that it would stop selling its ice cream in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The company said that selling its products there was ânot consistent with [its] values.â In an FAQ in the press release, the company said it has a history of advocating for âhuman rights, and economic and social justice.â The company said that it didnât want its own products to be sold in an âillegal occupation.â
The company then found itself in the middle of a controversy. Israel and its supporters, not surprisingly, took exception to the press release. The owner of the Israel factory that makes Ben & Jerryâs ice cream for sale in the region strongly disagreed with the move. Yair Lapid, Israelâs foreign minister, called it a disgraceful surrender to anti-Semitism.
Several U.S. states also disagreed with the move. And they decided to act on their disagreement, by pulling state investment money from the parent company, Unilever.
Ah, right: the parent company. The parent company agreed in 2000 to let Ben & Jerryâs make decisions like this. But now Unilever was feeling the heat. Now, the Ben & Jerryâs decision about its ice cream in the West Bank was impacting Unileverâs business. And Unilever is one of the biggest consumer products companies in the world.
Unilever wanted to lower the temperature of the debate. Big companies donât like to be under fire for politics; they canât win by playing that game. So they went looking for a workaround. And hereâs what they decided.
The ice cream in the Middle East was manufactured by a contract manufacturer. So Unilever decided to sell its Ben & Jerryâs business in Israel to that company. The buyer, then , would license the Ben & Jerryâs recipes from Unilever, paying Unilever for the privilege. And they, the buyers, would be the ones to make and sell the ice cream in the Palestinian territories.
It sounded like an elegant solution. Ben & Jerryâs could legitimately say that neither it nor Unilever was âsellingâ ice cream in the Palestinian territories. But they would still make money from licensing the recipes to a local manufacturer. Local customers could still get their favorite flavors. The package would be printed in Hebrew and Arabic and it would not have the American trademarks. Unilever went ahead with the sale in June and told the Ben & Jerryâs people about it later.
This is the sort of perfect compromise that works in the boardroom of big companies. But it didnât work for the people who truly cared about the issues. The Ben & Jerryâs Board of Directors thought this was a sell-out and they didnât appreciate the fact that they werenât consulted before Unilever sold the Israel business. So the Ben & Jerryâs Board of Directors sued Unilever, saying the Ben & Jerryâs brand would suffer irreparable damage as a result of this decision. Unilever said the deal was done and couldnât be cancelled.
If that sounds strange, it is. In short, a part of Unilever sued Unilever itself. A judge recently rejected the Ben & Jerryâs attempt to stop the sale, saying that there would not be irreparable harm to the brand. So for now, Unilever won the case against its own subsidiary.
Unilever won in court and Unilever got what it wanted in the Palestinian territories. But think about who they won against: they defeated their own subsidiary! So now Unilever has a disgruntled brand in its portfolio. Some press reports say that relations between Ben & Jerryâs and parent Unilever have broken down. And itâs calling into question the viability of a brand maintaining control over social and political missions.
Social issues âokayâ; political onesâŚnot so much
Big companies can typically get away with taking a stand on social issues like higher wages, protecting the environment, things like that. But when they wade into international politics, the stakes are so much higher.
I donât have too much sympathy for Ben & Jerryâs people though. I know that Unilever said Ben & Jerryâs could continue to make all decisions about its social mission. But thatâs something that big buyers always say. A year or two in, things usually start to change. And keeping a social mission is fine, as long as you donât poke the bear, as long as you donât make the big parent company too angry. The surprising thing, at least to me, is that that there hasnât been a big dispute until now.
ÂżHablas espaĂąol?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into Spanish. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .
How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
ä˝ čŻ´ä¸ĺ˝čŻďź
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Parlez-vous français?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
VocĂŞ fala portuguĂŞs?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
ćĽćŹčŞăŻčŠąăăžăăďź
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Parli italiano?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
The transcript of this lesson is available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Sen TĂźrkçe konuĹmayÄą biliyor musun?
The transcripts of Plain English lessons are available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation. Turkish translations are available starting at Lesson 278.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
MĂłwisz po polsku?
The transcript of Plain English lessons are available with interactive translations into your language. In each lesson transcript, we select about one hundred difficult words, phrases , and expressions for translation. Polish translations are available starting at Lesson 278.
How is this different than simply using a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that youâre getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .How can I use the translations in my studies?
Most members use the translations as they are listening to the lesson and reading along . When you come across a word you donât understand, you donât have to press pause to discover the meaning . You can simply hover your mouse over the highlighted word . This lets you learn the definition of the word without having to press pause on the audio.
Do the translations work on mobile?
Yes! Instead of hovering over a highlighted word, just tap on it .
Can I see a sample?
Yes, please visit PlainEnglish.com/sample to see a sample episode with the Spanish translations.
How can I access the translations?
Translations are included in two memberships: Plain English Plus+ and Starter. Choose a plan and get started today!
Audio
The fast version of this lesson is available for subscribers of Plain English Plus+.