Ben Cohen, cofounder of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, has introduced a new flavor as part of his ongoing political activism, this time addressing immigration enforcement and two deaths in Minneapolis.
The flavor, titled “The Maxi Hearts of Minneapolis,” represents Cohen’s personal venture rather than an official Ben & Jerry’s product. In a video announcement, Cohen stated that he created the flavor to honor what he described as the spirit of Minneapolis residents standing up for justice and compassion.
“Amidst all the horror and sadness, I am encouraged by the spirit of Minneapolis,” Cohen said. “Finally, a community that is standing up and putting their bodies on the line for compassion and decency and justice.”
The ice cream features a coconut and passion fruit base, which Cohen indicated are popular flavors within immigrant communities. The product includes three varieties of heart-shaped pieces: salted caramel, chocolate, and red. According to Cohen’s explanation, the caramel hearts represent tears and the work ahead in memory of two individuals named Renee and Alex. The chocolate hearts symbolize the manner in which that work will be conducted, while the red hearts are meant to convey solidarity with the families and friends of the deceased.
The container bears a message describing the flavor as a tribute to Minneapolis residents and specifically honors Renee and Alex, who Cohen claims were killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, which he characterized as “masked, militarized, heavily armed thugs.”
Cohen used the announcement to call for significant changes to federal immigration enforcement. “ICE is a masked, lawless rogue paramilitary force that is blatantly violating the Constitution and trampling on our rights as United States citizens,” he stated. “It must be defunded and disbanded.”
The entrepreneur made clear distinctions between his personal activism and the corporate brand. “This is not a Ben and Jerry’s flavor. It is a Ben’s Best flavor, because Ben and Jerry’s is also under a form of occupation, and they are not going to say it, so I will,” Cohen explained, referring to the company’s ownership by Unilever.
This latest offering continues a pattern of politically themed ice cream products associated with Cohen and the Ben & Jerry’s brand. Previous flavors have addressed various policy issues and political figures. “Justice ReMix’d” supported criminal justice reform initiatives. “Change Is Brewing” backed legislation proposed by Representative Cori Bush regarding policing. “Kamala’s Coconut Jubilee” was part of voter mobilization efforts supporting Vice President Kamala Harris. Cohen also created “Bernie’s Back,” a limited-edition flavor honoring Senator Bernie Sanders.
Cohen and Jerry Greenfield established Ben & Jerry’s before selling the company to the multinational corporation Unilever, though both founders have maintained public profiles on various social and political issues.
The announcement raises questions about the intersection of commercial enterprise and political advocacy, particularly regarding immigration enforcement policies that remain subjects of intense debate across the nation.
Related: Two Men Charged After Reckless Gunfire on Dallas Bridge Sparks National Attention
