Aunt Jemima’s new name Pearl Milling Company panned after PepsiCo scrapped ‘racist’ pancake brand during BLM protests
FANS of Aunt Jemima's pancake mix and syrup have panned the "bland" new name unveiled by food and drinks giant PepsiCo.
It will now be called the Pearl Milling Company after the "racist" 130-year-old name and logo were ditched in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests.
The red packaging will stay, but the logo has been changed from a middle-aged black woman to an old-style picture of a factory.
Existing Aunt Jemima products withe the controversial image removed will continue to be sold until then.
“Though new to store shelves, Pearl Milling Company was founded in 1888 in St Joseph, Missouri, and was the originator of the iconic self-rising pancake mix that would later become known as Aunt Jemima," the company said in a press release.
Critics have long said the picture evokes the old “mammy” character, a of a slave happy to please her white masters.
The company said at the time: "We recognize Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racial stereotype.
"As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers' expectations."
It is the latest household name to make changes to outdated brands after following similar criticism.
Last year butter producer Land O Lakes removed the Native American character from its logo and packaging after calls for racial sensitivity.
Uncle Ben's rice to Ben's Original and removed the African American character in the wake of BLM protests.
Mrs Butterworth's syrup and Cream O Wheat cereal said to include racial stereotypes.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Last month Australian dairy brand Coon Cheese after defending it for 80 years.