Little Debbie gets first makeover since 1985

COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. — McKee Foods, the makers of Little Debbie Snacks, unveiled a new Little Debbie logo, the third version of the logo since the brand was introduced in 1960.

Consumers can expect to see the revamped logo on Little Debbie cartons throughout the coming months. Based on current sales, the redesigned logo will appear on more than 800 million Little Debbie cartons annually.

The new logo is still based on the original photograph of McKee Foods EVP Debbie McKee-Fowler, taken when she was just three-and-a-half years old. She's the granddaughter of the founder, O. D. McKee. The new logo shows Little Debbie with darker hair that has fewer curls. She’s also wearing a more updated plaid shirt with a rounded Peter Pan collar, rather than the lace-embroidered pointed collar from the 1985 version. She's still wearing the straw hat, but the hat string — which is called a "stampede string" — was removed. The red ribbon, with the name Little Debbie on it, has likewise been rendered in a more contemporary style.

"The previous logo looked a little dated, so it was time for a minor makeover," said Chris McKee, EVP of marketing and sales for McKee Foods. "We opted to make subtle changes because we wanted to keep the same wholesome look that was based on an original portrait of my cousin, Debbie McKee-Fowler."

After launching in 1960, Little Debbie did not redesign its original logo until 1985. The new logo change for 2013 took a year to complete and required 16 different renderings until Debbie McKee-Fowler approved the final design.

"I love the new look," said Debbie McKee-Fowler. "We thought it was best to make subtle changes as opposed to dramatic changes."