Massachusetts ice cream brand Brigham’s Ice Cream is changing the name of one of its flavors due to concerns about cultural sensitivity, Fox Business reports.
What’s going on?
Brigham’s Ice Cream has decided to rename its flavor “Just Jimmies” to “Just Sprinkles.”
Lynne Bohan, a spokesperson for Brigham’s parent company, HP Hood, told the Lynnfield Patch that the change happened to make sure the name reflects the company’s values.
- “While the origins of the word ‘jimmies’ is unclear, Brigham’s made the decision to change the name to ensure the brand reflects our values and meets our consumers’ expectations.”
- “Just Sprinkles remains the same flavor/recipe that Brigham’s fans know and love,” Bohan told Patch.
Why the name change?
“Jimmies” is a common New England term for sprinkles. You’ll hear it a lot around those parts, and I can testify to that because I was born and raised in Massachusetts.
- Per Fox Business, “jimmies” has an unknown origin. Some companies said they invented the term.
- But there are others who suggest that “it’s a derogatory term related to Jim Crow, the racist caricature that came to stand for discriminatory laws and segregation put into place following the Civil War,” according to Fox Business.
That said, Snopes.com said the Jim Crow theory remains “unproven.”
Other food changes
The name change comes as other food brands have changed their names because of their roots in racism. For example, Uncle Ben’s rice and Aunt Jemima syrup both announced their names would change due to racist connotations, as I wrote about for the Deseret News.