Shedding racial stereotype, ‘Aunt Jemima’ pancake mix gets new name

PepsiCo Inc’s “Aunt Jemima” brand logo, which was dropped last year following the racism and racial inequality debate in the United States, has a new name now. The company announced on Tuesday that the pancake-mix and syrup line has been rebranded will now be sold under “Pearl Milling Company”. The company also unveiled a redesigned website and said “it was the start of a new day.”

“Last June, PepsiCo and The Quaker Oats Company made a commitment to change the name and image of Aunt Jemima, recognizing that they do not reflect our core values,” the company said. PepsiCo owns Aunt Jemima’s parent company Quaker Oats.

The company said that products with the “Aunt Jemima” name will be available until June. However, the picture of the Aunt Jemima character’s face will not be there on the products. 

“Pearl Milling Company-branded pancake mixes, syrups, cornmeal, flour, and grits products will start to arrive in market in June,” PepsiCo said in a statement.

The 130-year-old brand logo, featuring an African-American woman, came under fire last year amid a national debate over racial inequality in the country which began post the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis. 

“Throughout the effort that led to the new Pearl Milling Company name, Quaker worked with consumers, employees, external cultural and subject-matter experts, and diverse agency partners to gather broad perspectives and ensure the new brand was developed with inclusivity in mind,” PepsiCo said.