Ben & Jerry's 'Hubby Hubby' Celebrates Vermont Marriage Law

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Ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s, long known for its support of liberal causes, has created a temporary version of its Chubby Hubby ice cream, renamed “Hubby Hubby,” to celebrate Vermont’s legalization of same-sex marriage. The carton design features a rainbow arching over a wedding cake with two grooms on top.

Hubby Hubby will be available for thirty days and only in Vermont, where Ben & Jerry’s is based. Predictably, the move has angered opponents of same-sex marriage, and it’s also inspired a bit of backlash from those who never forgave Ben & Jerry’s for selling out to Unilever.

Unilever bought the company in 2000 but Ben & Jerry’s maintained its own board of directors and founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield remain involved with the company in an advisory capacity. “The current social mission of Ben & Jerry’s will be encouraged and well-funded,” Ben & Jerry’s said in a statement at the time of the acquisition. “An opportunity has been offered for Ben & Jerry’s to contribute to Unilever’s social practices worldwide.”

When Barack Obama won the presidency, Ben & Jerry’s expressed its support with another temporary flavor, “Yes Pecan.”

Tags: Ben & Jerry, Corporate Governance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Food & Beverage, Corporate Law, Business Operations, Investment, Finance, Manufacturing, Katherine Glover

Katherine Glover is a Minneapolis-based print, radio and online journalist. She's written for Salon.com, Sierra Magazine and many others, and she does a weekly blog on immigration issues for MinnPost.

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