Ben & Jerry’s new ice cream flavor is also a political statement
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On Tuesday, Ben & Jerry’s launched a new flavor, and a new voting rights campaign, to raise awareness about the involvement of “big money” in the political process.
The new flavor, Empower Mint, is a peppermint-forward ice cream base with generous swirls of fudge and chunks of chewy brownie. It’s delicious but it also comes with a serious message.
The Vermont-based brand also launched “Democracy is in Your Hands,” a campaign dedicated to encouraging national voter registration and educate ice cream fans on the importance of reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act.
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“We believe Democracy only works when it works for Everyone,” writes the brand.
“But lately, it seems the challenges facing our democracy have gotten out of hand: Low income and minority voters are having their voting rights infringed upon, and money from wealthy donors is corrupting the system.”
A portion of the proceeds from Empower Mint will benefit the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP.
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The ice cream moguls take their politics seriously. Last month, co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield were among approximately 300 people who were arrested outside the U.S. Capitol as part of protests by a group called Democracy Awakening—a movement devoted to fighting the influence of deep-pocket donors.
Empower Mint is now available at Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops and throughout stores nationwide.