Jeni’s Just Hired Ben & Jerry’s Former CEO—and the Drama Is Juicy

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, the cult-favorite, Columbus-born ice cream brand known for its inventive flavors and premium ingredients, has hired the former CEO of Ben & Jerry’s to lead the company into its next phase of growth. And no, before you ask: Jeni’s didn’t poach him. The situation is way more complicated than that. 

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When was David Stever the CEO of Ben & Jerry’s? Was this before or after Jerry himself cut ties with his own brand? 

David Stever left Ben & Jerry’s in 2025 after being with the company for 26 years, climbing the ladder from Brand Manager to Chief Executive Officer. He became CEO in 2018.

Meanwhile, Jerry Greenfield stepped away in 2024, citing disagreements over the brand’s ability to speak freely on political issues under their parent company Unilever. 

“I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s,” said the man, the myth, the legend, Jerry Greenfield himself on his website for the Free Ben & Jerry’s campaign. “Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power.” 

His co-founder Ben Cohen chose to remain involved, expressing a desire to continue pushing for the company’s social mission from within.

So where does CEO David Stever fall in all of this? Well…

Allegedly, the brand’s parent company Unilever fired David Stever for allowing the brand to become too “politically woke.” 

I put that in quotes not because anyone said it, but because I find the derogatory connotation of the phrase irritating. It does sum up what happened, though. They clashed over David’s approval and push for social activism, especially at the height of the online discourse over Palestine and Israel. 

The picture being painted here seems to have Unilever on one side, and Ben, Jerry, and David on the other, pushing for the brand’s right to free speech—something that Ben and Jerry both claim was contingent in their initial sale to Unilever. 

After David’s firing, Ben & Jerry’s filed a lawsuit against Unilever, accusing them of “silencing its public statements in support of Palestinian refugees” and removing leadership (aka, David) that supported those efforts. 

I’ve never said this about a CEO before, but David: I’m proud of you. And Ben and Jerry, you’ve had my respect and devotion for a while now. 

What does this mean for Jeni’s?

To me, hiring David Stever seems to signal that Jeni’s isn’t just trying to grow—it’s trying to grow intentionally. Under Stever, Ben & Jerry’s doubled down on its identity as a values-driven brand. Stever said this in a Linkedin post announcing his new job: 

“Growing up inside Ben & Jerry’s, I had the privilege of being a steward of a mission much bigger than the product in the pint… That experience shaped how I think about brands, culture, and the responsibility that comes with scale. As I step into this next chapter, I’m excited to bring many of those lessons forward. To me, ice cream represents joy, community, creativity, and connection.”

The sentiment feels pretty clear, especially since Jeni’s has never been shy about its progressive actions and statements. Jeni’s has publicly supported racial justice and LBTQ+ initiatives, donated to organizations like the ACLU, and raised money for increasing women in political office through groups like She Should Run. 

Much of this can be credited to the brand’s founder, the incredible Jeni Britton. 

Jeni and Steven, you are my iconic duo of the week. I hope you do great things together, and that’s all I really have to say on the matter. Keep on keepin’ on. Okay, toodles!!