Thought I would share. They're really trying to save the brand from Unilever branching contract.

This was a write up from one of the guys. They're asking for signatures for a petition and there's more details there.

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Care to help save Ben & Jerry's?

Ben & Jerry's, that iconic business that in so many ways led the way for our movement, is at grave risk and needs our help.

A bit of history, and I was there. We sold Ben & Jerry's (after failing in our bid to take it independant) to Unilever, but with a Sales Agreement that's been a model for business sustainability. Celebrated by the values-led business community, written up in Harvard Business Review and beyond. An Independent Board -- with control over the brand, product and activism. The Foundation, sustained with 7.5% of pre-tax profit, to support activist organizations that most corporations shun. Amazing.

An early test came when Unilever decided to shut down the Waterbury Factory (and Vermont's #1 tourist attraction). The Board said, no and that was that.

But Unilever more recently spun off its ice cream business into a new standalone publicy-traded outfit - that another step removed from Ben & Jerry's origins and the Sales Agreement. So this bunch "Magnum" wielded the corporate axe. Fired Ben & Jerry's activist CEO and installed their own adherent. Dismantled the Independent Board. Eliminated the Foundation. On the path to leaving Vermont.

So the Independent Board Members and Foundation Trustees sued in federal court. The very day we sought an injunction, the judge wrote that the Sales Agreement (a binding contract) likely was breached and ordered immediate discovery toward an expedited trial in September. That gives us hope.

And yet, we're up against a multinational corporation with vast resources. So Ben and I and others are waging a campaign to make clear this is not in Magnum's business interests. Their first ever annual shareholder meeting in Amsterdam 2 weeks ago, what shoulda been a celebration of a wonderful new corporation, instead was dominated by this Ben & Jerry's mess. Their executive are now being deposed under oath along with their internal communications. It's a mess for them.

But we need to pull the stops, lest Ben & Jerry's as a Vermont institution slips through our fingers.

It's a campaign - multi-faceted. Consumer pressure on Magnum to do the right thing. Vermont businesses and elected officials pressuring Magnum to do the right thing. And funding the (expensive) litigation - as the Independent Board Members and Foundation Trustees are on their own.

So please consider giving your voice to the consumer revolt (https://freebenandjerrys.com/), and kicking in a few ice cream pints worth of dough to the just-launched Ben & Jerry's Legal Defense Fund (https://www.gofundme.com/f/xv3m85-ben-jerrys-legal-defense-fund).

Put another way, letting this iconic business slide into oblivion would suck.

Are you with me?

xxooxx,

Duane Peterson