PepsiCo (PEP) announced the name change of its Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup brand to Pearl Milling Company, the snacking and beverage company announced on Tuesday.
In June 2020, Quaker Oats, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, said it would remove Aunt Jemima’s image from its packaging in the fourth quarter and change the name soon after. The company also pledged $5 million to support the Black community.
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype. 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,” Quaker Foods CMO Kristin Kroepfl said at the time.
When coming up with the Pearl Milling Company name, Quaker said it worked “to gather broad perspectives and ensure the new brand was developed with inclusivity in mind.”
Pearl Milling Company products, which maintain similar red packaging to its predecessor, will see its pancake mixes, syrups, flour, grits, and cornmeal come to market in June. The existing Aunt Jemima products with the image removed will continue to be sold until that time.
The company added that Pearl Milling Company would commit $1 million toward causes uplifting Black women and girls in the coming weeks.
Shares of PepsiCo were last trading up 82 cents near $140.42 on Tuesday in the after-hours session.