Aunt Ben’s is going to become Ben’s Original.
Ben’s Original will be the new name for the Uncle Ben’s rice visual brand identity, according to a statement made by Mars, Inc. in June. This decision was made in response to requests from the company’s workers and customers. According to Mars, the action demonstrates the brand’s desire to build a more inclusive future while upholding its dedication to making premium rice.
According to Fiona Dawson, global president of Mars Food, Multisales, and Global Customers, “we have listened to thousands of consumers, our own associates, and other stakeholders from around the world over the last several weeks.” “As we declared in June, we have committed to change. We acknowledge the injustices that were connected to the name and face of the previous brand.”
Mars stated that company has pledged to remove the image from the packaging as part of the rebranding effort in order to create more egalitarian iconography. According to the brand’s website, Uncle Ben’s products were first introduced in 1943 and bear the likeness of Gordon L. Harwell, a Black rice grower who supplied rice to the armed forces during World War II and boasted that his rice was “as good as Uncle Ben’s” (the updated site no longer includes the brand’s origin story). Early in 2021, the new brand package will be introduced.
Mars announced that it is taking steps to improve equality and inclusivity in addition to altering the name and visuals of the brand. The company’s new brand objective is to provide chances that give everyone a place at the table.
Ben’s Original community outreach programs will be among the initiatives taken. According to Mars, these programs will be designed to guarantee that underprivileged areas have access to wholesome meals and to assist culinary entrepreneurs of all hues in obtaining educational possibilities. Mars stated that its initiatives would start in the US, where Ben’s Original and the National Urban League are collaborating to provide scholarships to budding Black cooks. From there, the company plans to support other marginalized populations globally.
“Brands have an important role to play as we continue to navigate this moment of reconciliation regarding racial justice, diversity and inclusion,” said Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League. “We’re proud to partner with Ben’s Original as they evolve and embark on a new path with a new purpose, providing Black communities here and abroad with more equitable opportunities in education and business.”
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Mars also said it plans to invest in the local community of Greenville, Miss., where Ben’s Original has been produced for more than 40 years. Investments will focus on enhancing educational opportunities for more than 7,500 area students, as well as furthering access to fresh foods.
Apart from its collaboration with the National Urban League and its financial commitment to Greenville, Mars has declared that it will persist in enhancing racial equity through various means, such as augmenting the presence of racial minorities in the organization’s workforce, leadership, and talent pool, and optimizing expenditure, particularly with suppliers, to foster constructive transformation.
“There is no better time than right now, even though implementing an evolution on this scale will be a complex process,” Ms. Dawson stated. “We are confident that doing this will protect our company’s reputation and help us build the truly inclusive future that everyone deserves.”