Uncle Ben’s will undergo a significant rebrand amid growing concerns over racial stereotyp ing.
The popular rice brand, which is owned by parent company Mars Foods, will be known as Ben’s Original. The image of a black farmer will also be dropped from all packaging.
Bosses at the firm said that Uncle Ben was a fictional character used as a reference to an African-American rice farmer and has been used since 1946.
But the image used on its branding was of “a beloved Chicago chef and waiter named Frank Brown.”
The brand had come under scrutiny in recent months amid growing civil rights protests across the globe.
Mars Food also announced a package of community outreach programmes to support marginalised groups in America - through providing meals or giving educational opportunities to ‘culinary entrepreneurs of all colours’.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “Over the last several weeks, we have listened to thousands of consumers, our own associates and other stakeholders from around the world. We understand the inequities that were associated with the name and face of the Uncle Ben’s brand and as we announced in June, we have committed to change.
"We will change our name to Ben’s Original as well as remove the image on our packaging to create more equitable iconography. This change signals our ambition to create a more inclusive future while maintaining our commitment to producing the world’s best rice.
"We are not just changing our name and the image on the package, but also taking action to enhance inclusion and equity—and that comes with a new brand purpose to create opportunities that offer everyone a seat at the table.”
The statement later added: “While implementing an evolution on this scale will be a complex process that will take considerable time, there is no better time than right now. We will begin production of our new brand identity immediately and Ben’s Original will begin reaching store shelves early next year.
We hope you continue to welcome us to your dinner table, as we work to ensure everyone is always welcome at ours.”
