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‘Aunt Jemima’ brand faces backlash over new name
PepsiCo has decided to drop the “racist” name “Aunt Jemima” in response to last year’s Black Lives Matter protests “to replace branded syrup for their pancake mix. Now they have announced the new name: Pearl Milling Company. The new packaging, similar to the previous design, will appear in stores in June 2021, without the character’s iconic image.
Pearl Milling Company pays homage to the company founded in 1888 in St. Joseph, Missouri, which originally manufactured pancake mixes and later adopted the name Aunt Jemima.Critics argue the new name is unattractive and some compare it to a “gravel mining company.”
Although the change was met with resistance, many believe it was long overdue. The Aunt Jemima brand has had a history of racist stereotypes, despite attempts to overhaul its image over the years.
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James O’Rourke, a professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, said the brand’s reputation, based on a racial stereotype, was widely perceived as offensive. The change reflects a broader vision
