PepsiCo dropped the “Aunt Jemima” brand logo from its food products in 2020 after it was criticized as racist and a company spokesperson told Reuters the packaging is not returning as social media posts have claimed.
The brand logo, which existed for more than 130 years, featured a character that was rooted in a stereotype of a Black woman working as a servant for a white family. The name was taken from a character in 19th-century minstrel shows.
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The decision was part of a nationwide corporate response to weeks of protests over police brutality and racism following the death in 2020 of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. PepsiCo explained, opens new tab on its website that the brand’s origins “were based on a racial stereotype.”
In 2021, PepsiCo announced that the pancake mix and syrup products would be sold under the name “Pearl Milling Company,” which is owned by PepsiCo subsidiary Quaker Oats.
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Posts on Facebook say, opens new tab: “Breaking: Quaker Oats Bows To Public Demand, Brings Back Aunt Jemima – ‘She’s Back For Good!’
A PepsiCo spokesperson said in a Nov. 26 email that there was no truth to the claim.
Quaker Oats Company has not released any statements on its website or its social media accounts about the old logo or name returning to the food products.
VERDICT
False. A PepsiCo spokesperson said the narrative had no truth to it. Quaker Oats Company has not announced any change to its Pearl Milling Company branding.
