Aunt Jemima will change its name and logo, acknowledging the brand’s origins rooted in a racial stereotype, which hearkens back to nostalgia for the South in the times of slavery
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Toward the end of 2020, the 130-year-old pancake and syrup brand will remove the image of “Aunt Jemima” from packaging, parent companies Quaker Foods and PepsiCo said on Wednesday.
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, chief marketing officer at Quaker Foods North America, said in a statement.
Following the news, food giant Mars also said it’s “evaluating all possibilities” for changing its Uncle Ben’s brand, which has long been criticized as a stereotype.
“As a global brand, we know we have a responsibility to take a stand in helping to put an end to racial bias and injustices,” Mars said in a statement on Wednesday.
