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The new name of the popular Aunt Jemima pancake and syrup mix line has been announced: Pearl Milling Company. Parent company Quaker Oats, which is owned by PepsiCo Inc., said in june it was going to take the line away from the old name, which critics said and the company admitted was based on a racial stereotype
Refurbished products will hit shelves next June. PepsiCo also announced “a $ 1 million pledge to empower and uplift black girls and women.”
As part of the repackaging, the logo – depicting a black woman – will be removed and replaced with an image of the building that was part of the brand’s 131-year history. According to the brand’s website, “Pearl Milling Company was a small mill in bustling St. Joseph, Missouri. Using a pearl milling technique, they produced flour, cornmeal and, at From 1889, the famous self-rising pancake mix that would continue to be known as Aunt Jemima. “
PepsiCo has been criticized over Aunt Jemima’s name for years.
In 1989, the brand updated the character of Aunt Jemima, removing her headscarf – something linked to stereotypes rooted in slavery – in favor of a straighter hairstyle. Then, in 2014, the descendants of a woman they claim to have portrayed “Aunt Jemima” in the 1930s sued Quaker Oats for $ 2 billion. “It was developed a long time ago as a sort of one-person stereotypical bunch,” Adweek writer Sam Thielman told CBS This Morning.
The plaintiffs, whose case was ultimately dismissed by a Chicago judge, alleged it was a photo of their relative Anna Short Harrington that made the brand famous. They also alleged that Quaker Oats stole revenue and failed to honor a contract or pay royalties.
Last June, when the murder of George Floyd resulted in protests against racial injustice, PepsiCo was one of many brands and people to face backlash over identities seen as problematic. While Lady Antebellum and the Washington Redskins football team have changed their names – respectively to Lady A and the Washington football team – the food, snacks and beverage company has also pledged to do so. better.
“As we work to advance racial equality through several initiatives, we also need to carefully review our brand portfolio and ensure that they reflect our values and meet the expectations of our consumers,” Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and director of marketing for Quaker Foods North America, said at the time in a press release.
“We recognize that Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype. While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a proper and respectful manner, we realize that these changes are not enough, ”continued Kroepfl. The brand has also pledged $ 5 million to support the black community.
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