By Micah Maidenberg

PepsiCo. Inc.'s business that sells Aunt Jemima products said it would retire the brand because of its origins in racist imagery of black people, the latest example of how companies are trying to grapple with racial disparities following the killing of George Floyd.

PepsiCo's packaged-foods unit said Wednesday it would remove imagery of the black woman from the Aunt Jemima brand's pancake mixes, syrups and other products, and change its name. The company didn't disclose the new name, but said packaging changes will appear throughout the fourth quarter.

The Aunt Jemima brand dates back to 1889, according to a history posted on its website.

"We recognize Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racial stereotype. While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful, we realize those changes are not enough," Kristin Kroepfl, chief marketing officer at PepsiCo's Quaker Foods North America business, said in a statement. The unit also sells Quaker Oats and Rice-A-Roni.

AdWeek earlier reported on PepsiCo's plans.

Since a police officer in Minneapolis killed Mr. Floyd, a black man, sparking protests across the country, companies ranging from Walmart Inc. to Comcast Corp. have announced new efforts to promote racial justice. Executives have faced new pressure from employees to demonstrate how organizations are prepared to change internal practices.

Some other firms have also moved to change their products. "Magic: The Gathering," a fantasy card game owned by Hasbro Inc., this month removed several cards it said were racist or culturally offensive, including one with figures in pointed hoods.

Ms. Kroepfl said Quaker would gather diverse perspectives from within its organization and broader black communities to "further evolve the brand and make it one everyone can be proud to have in their pantry."

The brand will donate a minimum of $5 million over the next five years to support and engage with black communities, Quaker said.

Write to Micah Maidenberg at micah.maidenberg@wsj.com 



  Corrections & Amplifications


  This article was corrected on June 18, 2020 because PepsiCo was misspelled as PepisCo in the original version.