Months after announcing it would change the name of its Aunt Jemima products to erase racial stereotypes associated with it, PepsiCo has released a new name: Pearl Milling Company.
The newly-named pancake mixes, syrups, cornmeal, flour, and grits products will arrive to the markets in June, the company announced in a statement. Until then, the products will still be available without the Aunt Jemima logo and character. The familiar red packaging will remain.
The removal of the Aunt Jemima name came during a push against racial injustice last summer following the death of George Floyd. The Black man died while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers, with a video of the incident sparking worldwide outrage.
Several other companies also announced they would review, or have since changed, the names of their products for the same reason. Washington's NFL team removed its longtime nickname of a Native American reference and Cleveland's MLB team said it would do the same.
PepsiCo announced it will also unveil plans of a "$1 million commitment to empower and uplift Black girls and women, inviting the community to visit its website and nominate non-profit organizations for an opportunity to receive grants to further that mission." The company previously announced it would spend $400 million over five years to invest in Black communities and businesses and increase Black representation at PepsiCo.
