Offer for Ben & Jerry's

Unilever PLC
Unilever NV
12 April 2000

                      BEN & JERRY'S BOARD
                    APPROVES UNILEVER OFFER
                               
                               
Unilever today confirmed that the Board of Directors of Ben
and Jerry's Homemade, Inc has approved Unilever's offer of
$43.60 per share for all of the 8.4 million outstanding shares
of the company on a fully diluted basis, valuing the
transaction at $326 million.

In calendar year 1999 Ben & Jerry's had sales of $237 million
some 90 per cent of which were in North America.  Operating
income was $13.5 million.

The transaction will be structured as a tender offer for all
the shares of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc, which is expected to
commence next week.  The transaction is subject to the usual
regulatory approvals.

Commented Unilever chairman, Niall FitzGerald:  'We are
delighted to welcome Ben & Jerry's into the Unilever family.
It takes us into the super premium category for the first
time.  Ben & Jerry's is an incredibly strong brand name with a
unique consumer message.  We are determined to nurture its
commitment to community values.'

Ben & Jerry's produces a wide variety of super premium ice
cream, ice cream novelties, low fat ice cream, low fat yogurt
and sorbet, using Vermont dairy products and high quality, all
natural ingredients.  Ben & Jerry's is committed to using milk
and cream that have not been treated with the synthetic
hormone, rBGH.  Ben & Jerry's products are distributed
throughout the US and in selected foreign countries in
supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise
Ben & Jerry's scoop shops, restaurants and other venues.