The famous rice brand Uncle Ben's, accused of conveying racist clichés about African-Americans, will change its name to now be called "Ben's Original".

The logo, which represents the face of an elderly African American, will also be changed. 

After several months of reflection, the food giant Mars has finally decided to replace the name and image of its famous rice brand Uncle Ben's, accused of conveying stereotypes about African Americans.

After several weeks of massive demonstrations by the "Black Lives Matter" movement, denouncing police violence and racism more broadly in the United States, the group had already recognized in June "that the time (had) come to develop the Uncle Ben's brand. , including its visual identity ".

But then he had not specified how he intended to do it.

Mars therefore chose to rename the brand "Ben's Original" and abandon the image of a face of an elderly African American, which could evoke the rice plantations exploited by slaves.

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Packages with the new name and logo in store in 2021

"We have listened in recent weeks to thousands of consumers, our own employees and other affected parties around the world," Mars chief Fiona Dawson said on Wednesday, quoted in the statement.

"We understand the inequalities associated with the name and face of the previous brand," she added.

Packages of rice with the new name and logo will arrive in stores in 2021. 

We listened.

And we learned.

Moving forward, Uncle Ben's will be known as Ben's Original ™.

Read our full statement to find out more about our brand new purpose to create opportunities that offer everyone a seat at the table: https://t.co/0tSE0lnMa1pic.twitter.com/741JQU1qTI

- Uncle Ben's USA (@UncleBens) September 23, 2020

The group also plans to fund programs to support black communities in Greenville, Mississippi, a southern state where "Ben's Original" rice has been produced for more than 40 years.

Mars isn't the only company to drop images or names deemed offensive.

Pepsico has therefore decided to no longer use the Aunt Jemima brand, represented by a black woman adorning maple syrup bottles and pancake mixes on American shelves for more than 130 years.