PepsiCo announced the new name for the brand that is currently known as it’s Aunt Jemima line. The products will now come from Pearl Milling Company, NBC News reports.
The name comes from an original location for the company. “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 relief.
The 130-year-old Aunt Jemima brand is being retired due to the racial stereotypes projected by the name and the character portrayed on the product packaging. PepsiCo announced the change in June, and the new branding will be on shelves by summer.
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, said in a statement when the change was announced last year. “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.”