The new name for the famed Aunt Jemima range of pancake mixes and syrups has been announced: Pearl Milling Company. The parent company Quaker Oats, owned by PepsiCo Inc., said in June it would remove the line of the old name, which according to critics and the company conceded was based on a racial stereotype
The repackaged products will be on the shelves this coming June. PepsiCo also announced a $ 1 million commitment to empower and uplift black girls and women.
As part of the repackaging, the logo with 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 the bustling city of St. Joseph, Missouri. Using a pearl milling technique, they produced flour, cornmeal, and from 1889 the famous self-rising pancake mix. it would henceforth be known as Aunt Jemima. ‘
PepsiCo has been criticizing the Aunt Jemima name for years.
In 1989, the brand updated the Aunt Jemima character and removed her headscarf – something linked to stereotypes rooted in slavery – in favor of a straight haircut. Then, in 2014, the descendants of a woman who they said portrayed ‘Aunt Jemima’ in the 1930s sued Quaker Oats for $ 2 billion. “She was long ago developed as a kind of stereotype distilled into a single person,” Adweek author Sam Thielman told CBS This Morning.
The plaintiffs, whose case was eventually dismissed by a Chicago judge, allege that it was a picture of their family member Anna Short Harrington that made the trademark known. They also allege that Quaker Oats stole recipes and did not fulfill a contract or pay royalties.
Last June, when the murder of George Floyd gave rise to protest against racial injustice, PepsiCo was one of the many brands and people facing setbacks due to identities considered problematic. While people like Lady Antebellum and the Washington Redskins football team have changed their names – Lady A and the Washington Football Team respectively – the Food, Snack and Alcohol Corporation has promised to do better.
“As we work through various initiatives to make progress on racial equality, we need to thoroughly research our portfolio of brands and ensure that they reflect our values and meet the expectations of our consumers,” said Kristin Kroepfl, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Quaker Foods North America, said in a press release at the time.
“We realize that Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype. Although over the years we have worked to nurture the brand in a way that is meant to be appropriate and respectful, we realize that the changes do not is not enough, “Kroepfl continued. The brand also pledged $ 5 million to support the Black community.