The famous American brand changes its name to be described as racist

Aunt Jemima, a company whose main activity is the production of pancake mixes and maple syrups, today announced its new name and logo after acknowledging its racist past in the United States. The change was confirmed by Quaker Oats, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Now, the products will bear the name of Pearl Milling Company.

For years, Aunt Jemima brand has been criticized and seen as racist. These complaints escalated after George Floyd’s death at the hands of police last year. In a context of tension and under a strong call for racial justice, Quaker was not excluded from the debate. “We recognize that Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype. While there have been efforts over the years to update the brand in a proper and respectful manner, we realized that these changes were not enough.”Said Kristin Kropfl, vice president and chief marketing officer for Quaker Foods North America, in August of last year.

With the presentation of the new name and logo, the product relaunch is expected in the middle of this year. This is not the only case: Uncle Ben’s, Cream of What and Mrs. Butterworth’s are other brands that have announced changes in their products through pressure from social movements like Black Lives Matter.

“We are starting a new day with Pearl Milling Company. A new day rooted in the brand’s historic beginnings and its mission to create meaningful moments at the breakfast table, ”said a PepsiCo spokesperson as quoted by CNN.

Pearl Milling Company (ex Aunt Jemima) was founded in 1888 in St. Joseph, Missouri, and was the creator of the original pancake mix. Although the brand is new to the shelves, the syrup cans and bottles will have the characteristic original red color.

Aunt Jemima’s smiley logo was inspired by a stereotype of a 19th century “mom”, a black woman who simply serves white families. Nancy Green, a former slave, was the first woman to appear as a face of the brand in 1890. Quaker Oats acquired the Aunt Jemima brand in 1925 and updated its logo over the years.

As the company announced, Quaker solicited feedback from consumers, employees and external cultural experts during the process of creating the new brand name. The company announced that as part of the Pearl Milling Company presentation, it will donate $ 1 million to groups that empower black girls and women.

THE NATION

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