Free Republic

Next time you visit the rice aisle at your local supermarket, you might notice that one of the products you're used to seeing looks a little bit different. The brand formerly known as Uncle Ben's just relaunched with a new name — Ben's Original — and new packaging, and the company's products are already showing up in stores across the country. Mars Food, the parent company of Ben's Original, made the announcement on Wednesday and shared photos of the sleek new packaging, which includes the new brand name and a familiar orange background/navy blue font.

The Uncle Ben’s rice brand is getting a new name: Ben’s Original. Parent firm Mars Inc. unveiled the change Wednesday for the 70-year-old brand, the latest company to drop a logo criticized as a racial stereotype. Packaging with the new name will hit stores next year. “We listened to our associates and our customers and the time is right to make meaningful changes across society,” said Fiona Dawson, global president for Mars Food, multisales and global customers. “When you are making these changes, you are not going to please everyone. But it’s about doing the right thing, not the easy...