Cream of Wheat

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Cream of Wheat logo.png

Cream of Wheat is an American brand of farina, a type of breakfast porridge mix made from wheat semolina. It looks similar to grits, but is smoother in texture since it is made with ground wheat kernels instead of ground corn. It was first manufactured in the United States in 1893 by wheat millers in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The product made its debut at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Before January 2007, Cream of Wheat was a Nabisco brand made by Kraft Foods. In January 2007, B&G Foods acquired the brand and all rights to market the cereal. "Cream of Wheat" is a registered trademark.[1]

Rastus.jpg

Racial Issue

B&G Foods, Parsippany, NJ, said it was initiating an immediate review of the Cream of Wheat brand and packaging, which features a black chef. The breakfast porridge mix debuted in 1893 at the World’s Columbia Exposition in Chicago.

The porridge box, which depicts a beaming black man in a white chef’s uniform, has not been altered much since its debut in the late 19th century. The character was named “Rastus,” a pejorative term for black men, and he was once depicted as a barely literate cook who did not know what vitamins were.[2]

Cream-of-wheat-advertisement-december-1921.jpg

Rebranding

“We understand there are concerns regarding the Chef image, and we are committed to evaluating our packaging and will proactively take steps to ensure that we and our brands do not inadvertently contribute to systemic racism,” B&G Foods said. “B&G Foods unequivocally stands against prejudice and injustice of any kind.”[3]

More than three months after Cream of Wheat’s parent company, B&G Foods, said it was “initiating an immediate review” of the brand’s packaging, a decision has been made – the chef will be removed.

“For years, the image of an African-American chef appeared on our Cream of Wheat packaging,” B&G Foods said in a statement to USA TODAY. “While research indicates the image may be based upon an actual Chicago chef named Frank White, it reminds some consumers of earlier depictions they find offensive. Therefore, we are removing the chef image from all Cream of Wheat packaging."[4]

Background

Experts say the branding announcements are a ripple effect from the Black Lives Matters protests over the police killing of George Floyd and other African Americans. This not only impacted to Cream of Wheat but also to several brands such as Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben's, and Mrs. Butterworth's.

External Link

Read B&G Foods Inc. official statement here.

References

  1. Cream of Wheat. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  2. Cramer, Maria.After Aunt Jemima, Reviews Underway for Uncle Ben, Mrs. Butterworth and Cream of Wheat, nytimes.com, 17 June 2020. Retrived December 26, 2020.
  3. Watrous, Monica.Mrs. Butterworth’s, Uncle Ben’s among brands to eliminate racial stereotypes, foodbusinessnews.net, 18 June 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  4. Tyko, Kelly. Cream of Wheat to remove Black chef from the box as it updates imagery in wake of calls for racial equality, usatoday.com, 26 September 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.