Ben & Jerry's is proud to honor Colin Kaepernick, one of the most prominent social activists today, with his very own flavor: "Change the Whirled."
This flavor celebrates Kaepernick's courageous work to confront systemic oppression and to stop police violence against Black and Brown people. As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's believes Kaepernick represents the very best of us, willing to use his power and platform in the pursuit of equity and justice rooted in a commitment to love and resistance. The ice cream maker aims to honor Kaepernick, sweetening the long struggle for justice, and making his vision a reality to Change the Whirled.
Kaepernick's portion of the proceeds from sales of Change the Whirled will support the work of Know Your Rights Camp. Kaepernick founded Know Your Rights Camp in Oakland, CA in 2016 to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities. The Camp's curriculum is designed around 10 points including that Black and Brown people have the rights to be free, healthy, brilliant, safe, loved, courageous, alive, trusted, educated and to know their rights.
Change the Whirled is a Non-Dairy offering, which is important to the vegan Kaepernick. Ben & Jerry's currently offers more than a dozen Non-Dairy, vegan fan favorites. Kaepernick's flavor features a caramel Non-Dairy sunflower butter base with fudge chips, graham cracker swirls and chocolate cookie swirls.
"I'm honored to partner with Ben & Jerry's on Change the Whirled," said Kaepernick. "Their commitment to challenging the anti-Black roots of policing in the United States demonstrates a material concern for the wellbeing of Black and Brown communities. My hope is that this partnership will amplify calls to defund and abolish the police and to invest in futures that can make us safer, healthier, and truly free."
"Colin Kaepernick and his Know Your Rights Camp is the perfect partner for Ben & Jerry's to continue to advance our work on issues of racial justice," said Matthew McCarthy, CEO of Ben & Jerry's. "Ben & Jerry's is proud to diversify our flavor portfolio by honoring Kaepernick with a full-time flavor. We deeply respect how Colin uses his voice to protest racism, white supremacy and police violence through the belief that 'love is at the root of our resistance. We have tremendous hope in what we can accomplish together," he added.
Change the Whirled will be available as a full-time flavor at Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops and on store shelves nationwide in the United States beginning in 2021 with a suggested MSRP of $4.99-$5.49. Change the Whirled will also be available to fans in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. To learn more about Ben & Jerry's, visit: benjerry.com
About Know Your Rights Camp
The Know Your Rights Camp mission is to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders. Know Your Rights Camp is a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible through Know Your Rights Camp's 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). EIF is a Charity Navigator Four-Star Charity that meets all 20 Better Business Bureau charity standards and carries the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
About Ben & Jerry's
As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's believes in a greater calling than simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2015 the company completed its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully source Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben & Jerry's products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry's became a certified B Corp in 2012. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation's employee-led grant programs totaled $3MM in 2019 to support grassroots organizing for social and environmental justice around the country.
