Ben & Jerry’s Founders Discuss Buying Back Ice Cream Brand (1)

The founders of Ben & Jerry’s have expressed interest in buying back their namesake ice cream brand from Unilever Plc, according to people familiar with the matter.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have held some initial discussions in recent months about a potential deal, the people said. They may look to partner with socially minded investors in any transaction, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing confidential information.

The Ben & Jerry’s business could be valued at several billion dollars in a sale, which means the founders would need deep-pocketed financial backers to make it happen, one ...