Dave Stever Went from Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour Guide to CEO—So Why Did Unilever Just Fire Him?

Dave Stever's journey—from leading tours at a Ben & Jerry's factory to becoming CEO—was a classic story of climbing the corporate ladder. But after years of dedication, that journey took an unexpected turn. Unilever, the ice cream brand's parent company, abruptly dismissed Stever, raising questions about the reasons behind his removal and what it means for the future of Ben & Jerry's.

Unilever's Decision and the Fallout

Ben & Jerry's confirmed that Unilever had removed Stever as CEO, further fuelling tensions over the brand's ability to speak out on social issues.

According to a legal filing submitted on Tuesday night in Manhattan's federal court, Unilever announced Stever's dismissal on 3 March—without consulting Ben & Jerry's directors. The filing claims that the decision was based not on his job performance but on his commitment to the company's social mission and brand integrity.

The document states that Unilever had criticised Stever in a January review for 'repeatedly acquiescing' to Ben & Jerry's pursuit of social causes and had frequently warned employees against resisting efforts to 'silence the social mission.'

Ben & Jerry's further alleged that Unilever's actions against its activism had reached 'new levels of oppressiveness.'

Additionally, they asserted that Unilever interfered with their plans to commemorate Black History Month in February and, in a more recent instance, hindered their efforts to support the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a U.S. legal permanent resident taking part in pro-Palestinian rallies at Columbia University, and whom the Trump administration aims to deport.

While the legal battle highlights the growing tension between Ben & Jerry's social mission and its corporate parent, the story of Dave Stever's own journey within the company provides crucial context to this conflict.

Dave Stever's Rise And Clash At The Top

Stever's LinkedIn profile shows he joined Ben & Jerry's as chief marketing officer (CMO) in 2008 and rose to CEO in 2023. However, his connection to the company began much earlier, in 1988, when he worked as a tour guide at their Waterbury factory, a top attraction in Connecticut.

As stated by the ice cream company, Stever rapidly demonstrated his skills in marketing and administration, holding the CMO position for the previous twelve years. He 'established himself as a world-class marketer with strong customer and consumer focus. He has led strategic and tactical marketing that nurtures and drives Ben & Jerry's three-part mission in 35 countries,' the company states.

Forging High-Profile Collaborations

Ben & Jerry's highlighted his talent for uniting diverse teams to develop significant collaborations with figures such as Dave Matthews Band, Stephen Colbert, Willie Nelson, Sir Elton John, Jimmy Fallon, Colin Kaepernick, and with companies like Netflix, Chance the Rapper, Tony's Chocolonely, and Ava DuVernay.

When Stever's CEO appointment was announced in 2023, Anuradha Mittal, Ben & Jerry's board chair, remarked, 'The board is very pleased with the selection of Dave as Ben & Jerry's next CEO, and not just because of his passion for our euphoric super-premium ice cream.'

'Dave's [Stever] long history at Ben & Jerry's, along with his recognition of the integral role that the company's values and social mission play in our growth and our commitment to advancing justice and equity in the world, make him the best choice to write the next chapter in Ben & Jerry's remarkable story,' the top executive added.

The Path To Stever's Departure

These fresh claims of efforts to stifle social advocacy surfaced in Ben & Jerry's legal action, which aims to halt Unilever's supposed moves to dissolve its independent board and shut down its social activism. They appeared in a proposed revised legal document, which Ben & Jerry's must obtain court approval to submit.

With Unilever facing a Wednesday deadline to try and throw out Ben & Jerry's original legal challenge, the ice cream company, which has been driven by social consciousness since its 1978 start by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, filed new accusations.

Strain Within The Ownership

The relationship between Unilever and Ben & Jerry's, which Unilever purchased in 2000, has been strained, especially following Ben & Jerry's 2021 decision to cease sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. That segment of the business was later sold off.

With the U.S. president aiming to reshape the federal government and aspects of corporate America, numerous companies have resisted social policies that Donald Trump and other conservatives consider too progressive.

Ben & Jerry's recently accused Unilever of acting alone to prevent them from publicly speaking out against Trump, attributing the situation to a 'new dynamic.' According to Reuters, Unilever is set to separate Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, Magnum, and additional ice cream brands later in the year.

Unilever is also streamlining its product line, which features numerous well-known brands such as Dove, Hellmann's, Knorr, Surf, and Vaseline.