Amid anti-racism protests, US brands Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s to change

Amid nationwide protests against racism, major US food companies say they will change the Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s brands, both of which feature African American mascots.

PepsiCo says it would end entirely the Aunt Jemima line of pancake syrup and batter adorned with the face of a black woman, while Mars plans to “evolve” the Uncle Ben’s brand of rice dishes that uses a black man as its logo.

“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, the PepsiCo subsidiary that produces Aunt Jemima, says in a statement.

“While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful, we realize those changes are not enough.”

The Aunt Jemima brand has existed for more than 130 years, and “has evolved over time with the goal of representing loving moms from diverse backgrounds who want the best for their families,” according to PepsiCo.

The brand’s image will be removed starting in the fourth quarter, while the company said a new name will be announced.

Mars is less clear what would happen with Uncle Ben’s, saying in a statement, “We don’t yet know what the exact changes or timing will be, but we are evaluating all possibilities.”

— AFP