PepsiCo Inc said on Wednesday it will change the name and brand image of its Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup, dropping a mascot that has been criticized for a racist history, amid a national debate over racial inequality in the United States.
PepsiCo Inc (PEP. O) said on Wednesday it will change the name and brand image of its Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup, dropping a mascot that has been criticized for a racist history, amid a national debate over racial inequality in the United States.
The logo of the more than 130-year-old brand features an African-American woman named after a character from 19th-century minstrel shows. The offensive caricature is rooted in a stereotype of a friendly black woman working as a servant or nanny for a white family.
Following PepsiCo’s move, ConAgra Brands Inc (CAG. N) announced a full review of its Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup, whose package is meant to evoke a “loving grandmother.” Rice brand Uncle Ben’s said it was also considering updating its brand, which features a white-haired African-American man named after a Texas rice farmer.
