The new name for the famous line of mixtures of pancakes and syrups Aunt Jemima: Pearl Milling Company has been announced. The parent company Quaker Oats, owned by PepsiCo Inc., he said in June would distance the line from the old name, which critics said the company acknowledged was based on a racial stereotype
The repackaged products will arrive on the shelves in June next year. PepsiCo also announced “a $ 1 million commitment to empower and raise 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 is part of the brand’s 131-year-old history. According to the brand’s website, “Pearl Milling Company was a small mill in the lively town of St. Joseph, Missouri. Using a pearl grinding technique, they produced flour, corn flour and, since 1889, the famous mixture of self-growing pancakes. which would be known as Aunt Jemima. “
PepsiCo has been facing criticism over Aunt Jemima’s name for years.
In 1989, the brand updated Aunt Jemima’s character, removing her headscarf – something related to the stereotypes rooted in slavery – in favor of a fairer hairstyle. Then, in 2014, the descendants of a woman who claim to have played “Aunt Jemima” in the 1930s sued Quaker Oats for $ 2 billion. “It was developed a long time ago as a kind of group of stereotypes distilled into one person,” Adweek writer Sam Thielman told CBS This Morning.
The plaintiffs, whose case was eventually dismissed by a Chicago judge, claimed it was an image of their relative Anna Short Harrington, who made the famous mark. They also claimed that Quaker Oats stole prescriptions and failed to honor a contract or pay royalties.
In June last year, when the murder of George Floyd gave birth protests against racial injustice, PepsiCo was one of the many brands and people who reacted to identities seen as problematic. As the Lady Antebellum football team and the Washington Redskins football team changed their names – to Lady A and the Washington football team, respectively – the food, snack and beverage corporation set out to do even better.
“As we work to make progress towards racial equality through more initiatives, we must also look closely at our brand portfolio and ensure that they reflect our values and meet the expectations of our consumers,” he said. Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and marketing director of Quaker Foods North America, said in a press release since then.
“We recognize that Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype. Although we have worked over the years to update the brand in a way that is appropriate and respectful, we realize that these changes are not enough,” Kroepfl continued. . The brand also pledged $ 5 million to support the black community.