– History:
– In 1888, Chris L. Rutt and Charles G. Underwood bought a flour mill in St. Joseph, Missouri.
– Pearl Milling Company produced various milled products using a pearl milling process.
– They started selling excess flour as Self-Rising Pancake Flour in paper bags.
– The original 1889 formula included wheat flour, corn flour, phosphates, bicarbonate soda, and salt.
– Aunt Jemima Manufacturing Company was sold to Randolph Truett Davis Milling Company in 1890.
– Branding and trademark:
– Aunt Jemima brand was acquired by the Randolph Truett Davis Milling Company in 1890.
– R.T. Davis improved the product by adding rice flour, corn sugar, and powdered milk.
– The brand became successful, leading to the renaming of the company to Aunt Jemima Mills in 1914.
– Quaker Oats purchased Aunt Jemima Mills Company in 1926 and registered the trademark in 1937.
– Aunt Jemima brand expanded to include syrups and other products over the years.
– Rebranding of 2020–2021:
– Quaker Oats announced the discontinuation of Aunt Jemima in June 2020 for racial equality progress.
– The brand was replaced by Pearl Milling Company in February 2021.
– PepsiCo launched the new branding in June 2021, retaining some references to Aunt Jemima initially.
– The company faced challenges in completely abandoning the Aunt Jemima brand due to trademark law.
– The rebranding process aimed to address the racial stereotypes associated with Aunt Jemima.
– References:
– Various sources provide historical context on the Aunt Jemima brand and its evolution.
– The decision to rebrand Aunt Jemima to Pearl Milling Company was covered by media outlets.
– The Aunt Jemima brand change received attention for its significance in addressing racial stereotypes.
– The rebranding decision was part of a broader movement towards inclusivity and diversity in branding.
– The rebranding initiative highlighted the importance of acknowledging and rectifying past racial stereotypes in marketing.
– Other Brands and Companies:
– Quaker Oats was purchased by PepsiCo in 2001.
– Aunt Jemima branded frozen foods were licensed to Aurora Foods in 1996.
– Pinnacle Foods absorbed Aurora Foods in 2004.
– Pinnacle Foods discontinued the entire Aunt Jemima frozen food product line in 2017 following a recall.
– PepsiCo has a diverse brand portfolio that includes Quaker Oats, Aunt Jemima, and other well-known brands.
Pearl Milling Company is a North American brand for pancake mix, table syrup, and other breakfast food products. The original version of the pancake mix was developed in 1888–1889, and was advertised as the first "ready-mix" cooking product.
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| Product type | Pancake mix, syrup, breakfast foods |
|---|---|
| Owner | Quaker Oats (PepsiCo since 2001) |
| Country | St. Joseph, Missouri, United States |
| Introduced | 1888 — November 1, 1889 (renamed Aunt Jemima) — June 2021 (revert to Pearl Milling Company) |
| Markets | United States, Canada |
| Previous owners |
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| Tagline | “Same great taste as Aunt Jemima” |
| Website | www |
In June 2021, the Aunt Jemima brand name was discontinued by its current owner, PepsiCo, with all products rebranded to Pearl Milling Company, the name of the company that produced the original pancake mix product.