Last summer, in response to the Black Lives Matter protests, PepsiCo made a significant decision to rename its pancake mix and syrup brand, Aunt Jemima, due to its deeply rooted racist associations. They’ve now revealed the replacement name, Pearl Milling Company, paying homage to the original company established in 1888. The updated packaging, featuring the familiar red, yellow, and white colors, will be available in stores by June 2021, without the offensive image of Aunt Jemima.
The choice of the new name has sparked mixed reactions, with critics finding it uninspiring or even inappropriate. Some have likened it to unrelated businesses, while others believe it’s a long-overdue step in addressing a racially insensitive legacy. Despite various attempts at redesign over the years, Aunt Jemima struggled to distance itself from its troubling history of racial and cultural stereotypes. James O’Rourke, a professor of management at the University of Notre Dame, noted that the brand’s reputation, built over 130 years, was rooted in a widely recognized offensive stereotype. In short, the new name, Pearl Milling Company, marks a significant change in response to concerns about racial sensitivity
