Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Company Halts 'Little Obama' Ice Cream Production

The Russian company that created the “Little Obama” chocolate ice cream has halted production following accusations of racism, local news website chelny-biz.ru reported Wednesday.

The Slavitsa ice cream company, based in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan, began producing an experimental batch of “Obamka” (“Little Obama”) in late April.

The new ice cream caused several media outlets in Russia and abroad to accuse the company of racism and of damaging already strained relations between Russia and the United States.

The company defended its position by issuing a press release, in which it claimed that the “Little Obama” ice cream was “made for children and is far from politics,” the local tatar-inform.ru news website reported.

Managers at the company had earlier said the name was chosen not to make a political statement, but because they thought the idea was “amusing.” Factory financial director Anatoly Ragimkhanov said that the design on the ice cream's wrappings, which shows an image of a smiling, dark-skinned boy wearing an earring, was inspired by a Soviet-era cartoon. The animation features an imaginary island named “Chunga-Changa,” inhabited by African children.

An unnamed U.S. official told the Reuters news agency that the United States was “disappointed by the media-driven anti-Americanism that has become so prevalent in Russia over the past few years, particularly when it takes on a discriminatory or racist bent.”

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more