In a spirited announcement, Ben Cohen, cofounder of Ben & Jerry’s, introduced his latest ice cream flavor with a call to action: “We must all rise to protest because Minneapolis’s struggle is now a national one.”
“The flavor I’m making today is called ‘The Maxi Hearts of Minneapolis,’” Cohen stated in a video. “Amidst all the horror and sadness, I’m encouraged by the spirit of Minneapolis. Finally, a community that’s standing up and putting their bodies on the line for compassion and decency and justice.”
The ice cream’s foundation combines coconut and passion fruit, flavors Cohen highlights as being favored by the immigrant community. The treat is enhanced with three types of heart-shaped mix-ins: salted caramel, chocolate, and red hearts. Cohen explains that the caramel hearts signify the tears shed for Renee and Alex and the hard work that will be done in their honor for justice. The chocolate hearts represent the love that will fuel this effort, while the red hearts symbolize the collective empathy from people across the country towards Renee and Alex’s families and friends.
Emblazoned on the ice cream package is a heartfelt tribute: “This flavor honors the resilience and spirit of Minneapolis’s people, who lead with empathy and courage in the fight for justice. We especially remember Renee and Alex, who fell victim to the masked, heavily armed agents of ICE.”
Cohen used the launch to voice his stance, stating, “ICE operates as a rogue, unconstitutional paramilitary force infringing on our rights. It needs to be defunded and dismantled.”
Clarifying the distinction between his personal activism and the corporate brand, Cohen stated, “This is a Ben’s Best flavor, not a Ben & Jerry’s product, as even Ben & Jerry’s faces constraints they cannot speak of, so I will.”
In the past, politically charged ice cream flavors linked to Cohen or the Ben & Jerry’s name include “Justice ReMix’d,” advocating for prison reform; “Change Is Brewing,” supporting Rep. Cori Bush’s policing legislation; “Kamala’s Coconut Jubilee,” part of a voter outreach campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris; and “Bernie’s Back,” a cinnamon-and-chocolate homage to Bernie Sanders crafted by Cohen as a limited edition.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield co‑founded Ben & Jerry’s and sold the company to Unilever in 2000 under a unique governance agreement intended to preserve its social mission. In 2025, Greenfield publicly left the brand, citing Unilever’s alleged silencing of its values and independence. That same year, Cohen attempted to repurchase the company, but Unilever declined to sell. The company has since spun off its ice cream assets into a new, standalone entity called the Magnum Ice Cream Company.
The flavor Maxi Hearts of Minneapolis references two recent lethal incidents. Renee Good was shot on January 7 after allegedly accelerating her vehicle toward an ICE agent during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Federal authorities have stated the vehicle was used as a weapon, while her partner, Becca Good, is reportedly under investigation for potentially impeding federal officers. Video footage shows Becca challenging agents before the shots were fired, with some suggesting she encouraged Renee to “drive,” though others dispute the clarity of her words.
Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents on January 24 in a separate incident. Days earlier, he was recorded on video yelling profanities at agents, calling them “trash,” and daring them to assault him. Federal immigration officers had reportedly documented information about Pretti before the shooting. He brought a firearm with him on January 24, the day he was fatally shot.
