Ben & Jerry may be on their way out at Ben & Jerry's

Tuesday, November 21st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) _ A Unilever executive was appointed chief executive at Ben & Jerry's on Monday in what may mean a speedy exit for the ice cream company's hippie-capitalist co-founders.

Yves Couette was installed by Unilever PLC, the Anglo-Dutch food conglomerate that bought Ben & Jerry's in August. He replaces Perry Odak.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield issued a statement expressing disappointment.

``We strongly supported a different candidate, a longtime member of Ben & Jerry's board of directors whose commitment to our social policies was clear and established,'' they said.

``As owner, Unilever of course has the legal right to manage Ben & Jerry's in the way it sees fit. We have not decided whether or not to remain with the company.''

Cohen is on Ben & Jerry's board of directors, and both men are still company employees, marketing the ice cream they helped to make famous.

Cohen and Greenfield are childhood friends and former hippies who built a company devoted to both social ideals and funky ice cream flavors. The company donates a share of its profits to charity.

Unilever and Couette have said they are dedicated to Ben & Jerry's social ideals.

Couette, a native of France, has worked for Unilever in France, Indonesia, the United States and Mexico for 24 years. He said he ran a Unilever ice cream company in Mexico for four years that was similar to Ben & Jerry's.

When Couette was introduced to employees during a meeting last week, three other executives said they expected to leave the company, said Unilever spokesman Stephen Milton.

Milton said the executives are Michael Sands, chief marketing officer; Elizabeth Bankowski, director of social mission; and Bruce Bowman, senior director of operations.

Attempts to reach them at Ben & Jerry's corporate headquarters in South Burlington were unsuccessful.