Aunt Jemima model broadcasts change of identify and packaging
The Aunt Jemima brand is committed to making major changes, including a multi-million dollar commitment to the Black Community
Aunt Jemima, one of the longstanding brands of The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc.has announced that it will take Aunt Jemima's image out of its packaging and change its brand name. Packaging changes without the picture of Aunt Jemima will be visible in the fourth quarter of 2020. The name change will be announced at a later date and will quickly follow the first phase of the packaging changes.
"As we work through various initiatives to make progress towards racial equality, we also need to closely examine our brand portfolio and ensure that they reflect our values and meet our consumers' expectations," said Kristin Kroepfl, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Quaker Foods North America.
"We recognize that Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racist stereotype. Although efforts have been made to update the brand in a way that is intended to be reasonable and respectful over the years, we find that these changes are not enough."
The Tante Jemima brand has existed for more than 130 years and has evolved over time with the aim of representing loving mothers from different backgrounds who want the best for their families.
"We recognize that the brand is not advanced enough to adequately reflect the trust, warmth, and dignity that it is supposed to represent today," said Kroepfl. “We start by removing the image and changing the name. We will continue the conversation by gathering different perspectives from both our organization and the black community to further develop the brand and make it a brand that everyone can be proud of. "
PepsiCo was built on the basis that we thrive because of our diversity. If we include the entire spectrum of humanity, we will be successful together. With this in mind, the Tante Jemima brand will donate at least USD 5 million / GBP 3.9 million over the next five years to create meaningful, ongoing support and engagement in the Black Community.
In addition to the changes at Aunt Jemima, PepsiCo is committed to making significant changes to the people, business, and communities in which we live and work.
Ramon Laguarta, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, announced the next step on PepsiCo's path to racial equality: a series of initiatives worth over $ 400 million / £ 319.5 million over five years to strengthen black communities and increase black representation at PepsiCo. These initiatives include a holistic effort for PepsiCo to engage with a leading company and address the need for systemic change. The activities focus on three pillars: people, companies and communities.
