After nearly a century, the pancake mix and syrup known as “Aunt Jemima” will be renamed “Pearl Milling Company” in June, parent company Pepsi announced Tuesday.
The rebranding came after Pepsi announced in 2020 that it would look for a rebranding in an effort to be more culturally sensitive.
Quaker Oats will continue making the pancake mix and syrup for Pepsi.
Pepsi says that products will continue to be sold through June under the Aunt Jemima name, but without the stereotypical “Mammy” imaging.
“Throughout the effort that led to the new Pearl Milling Company name, Quaker worked with consumers, employees, external cultural and subject-matter experts, and diverse agency partners to gather broad perspectives and ensure the new brand was developed with inclusivity in mind,” Pepsi said in a statement.
Aunt Jemima was among one of several major brands that were being re-examined for perpetuating racial and cultural stereotypes. In 2020, Mars announced that the rice products formally known as “Uncle Ben’s” would be renamed “Ben’s Original.”