Market Chatter: Ben & Jerry's Founders Eye Deal to Pull Brand Out of Magnum

01:23 AM EDT, 10/27/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, are exploring a deal with KKR executive Pete Stavros to separate the brand from its parent company The Magnum Ice Cream Co. (MICC.AS, MICC.L), potentially through an employee stock-ownership plan, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. Stavros, who is pursuing the deal independently of his role at KKR, said an employee stock ownership plan could help preserve Ben & Jerry's culture and board structure while giving employees a stake in the business. Magnum resisted the idea, saying Ben & Jerry's is not for sale and that a separation would increase costs, raise product prices, and reduce investment in the brand's social mission. Magnum Ice Cream did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires. (Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)