The company behind Uncle Ben’s rice has officially rebranded the food product after many deemed its longtime name and logo to be racially insensitive. The image of Uncle Ben, with a bow tie reminiscent of Pullman porters and a title evoking the way white Southerners once used “uncle” and “aunt” to refer to older Black people has been criticized for perpetuating a stereotype of Black subservience. The brand is now dubbed Ben’s Original and the logo appears in a blue font over an orange background. “We listened to our associates and our customers and the time is right to make meaningful changes across society,” Mars Food executive Fiona Dawson said. The revamped packaging will hit store shelves in 2021.
Uncle Ben’s Moves On From Racial Imagery
