Ben & Jerry’s, the outspokenly political Vermont-based ice cream company, is now accusing its parent company Unilever, with whom it has had an increasingly contentious relationship, of ousting its CEO David Stever.

The ongoing legal spat between campaigning US ice cream business Ben & Jerry’s and its parent Unilever, has moved up a gear. Ben & Jerry’s has filed a case in a New York court accusing the FMCG giant of ousting its CEO Dave Stever in an attempt to silence its so-called ‘social mission’.

Ben & Jerry’s said in a court filing that its parent company had ousted its chief executive, David Stever, without approval from the ice cream maker’s board.