Uncle Ben's Rice will be renamed Ben's Original and removed the slotxo smiling gray-haired black man from the packaging.The change follows a pledge made by Mars Food in June to review the brand amid global protests over police brutality and racism.Uncle Ben entered the market in the 1940s and has been the best-selling rice in the United States for decades.Its marketing has been criticized for breaking racial stereotypes.Names such as uncles and aunts are used in the southern states of the United States to refer to blacks, rather than the more formal and honorable word "Miss" or "Mister".


Uncle Ben's name was inspired by a Texas farmer known for its high-quality rice.The company asked the head waiter at a luxury Chicago restaurant, Frank Brown, to impersonate the slotxo brand's face, which launched in 1974. Fri 2490 In 2007, the company tried to update its marketing with a campaign that made Ben the chair of the board, a move away from the previous one.We understand the inequality related to the previous brand's name and face, and as we announced in June, we are committed to the change, Mars said.The new packaging is expected to begin shipping in 2021.Mars said it would work with the National Urban League in the United States to support black chefs by donating $ 2 million to fund scholarships and investing $ 2.5 million in Greenville, Mississippi, where rice is grown.The brand isn't just changing the name and picture on the package.


It is also working to increase inclusion and equality and redefinethe brand objectives to create slotxo opportunities for everyone to sit at the table, the company said.Mars is one of several food giants promising to review brands following George Floyd's murderous protests.Earlier this year, Pepsi said it would overhaul its marketing for the popular Aunt Jemima syrup and food segment, admitting the brand was based on racial stereotypes.