General Mills Companies
Annie's
Now available at more than 35,000 locations, Annie's started with macaroni and cheese products sold from the back of a car in 1989. In 2014, General Mills acquired Annie's for approximately $820 million. Outreach projects include agricultural scholarships, Grants for Gardens, and diverse donation initiatives.
Autumn's Gold
Autumn's Gold makes paleo-certified, grain-free granola products and is considered by some to be a "stealth small brand," made to look small while being owned by something very big.
Betty Crocker
The "First Lady of Food" has enjoyed more than 100 years in the business, which surprisingly began with a 1921 Gold Medal Flour ad and mail-in pincushion promotion.
In 1921, around 30,000 letters arrived, many with cooking questions. Over the next few decades, the partially fictional Betty Crocker persona received a name, voice, face, test kitchens, radio and TV shows, consumer products, and a loyal following.
Today, Betty Crocker is worth an estimated $8.1 billion.
Bisquick
A staple of American pantries for nearly a century, the Bisquick formulation was discovered aboard a train car in 1930.
After missing dinner, one hungry General Mills salesman received a plate of biscuits from the train chef, who promptly whipped them up using his pre-mixed lard, baking powder, flour, and salt. From there, Bisquick was born.
Blue Buffalo
General Mills company acquired pet food purveyors Blue Buffalo in 2018 for $8 billion. Founded in 2002 and inspired by a beloved Airedale named Blue, Blue Buffalo humanizes pets by creating conscientious, natural treats.
General Mills' pet segment generated $2.3 billion in sales in 2022.
Bugles
In the mid-1960s, Bugles and two forgotten chips — tube-and-scoop shaped chips — began General Mills' snacking journey. According to Statista, of 38 million Americans surveyed, more than 21 million consumed 1-3 bags of Bugles in the past 30 days.
Fun fact: Their disappearance in Canada has left many Bugles fans scrambling for replacements.
Cascadian Farm
The seed for Cascadian Farm was planted in 1972 in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. The first crops were grown by volunteers and sold from the back of a VW.
Since its founding, the brand has practiced mindful farming. In 2022, the brand's granola bars had nearly $15 million in sales.
Cheerios
Cheerios has sold over 139 million boxes with an annual revenue of $436 million. Originally CheeriOats, the crunchy breakfast treat hit the scene in 1941 and was nominally shortened in 1945.
Honey Nut Cheerios, the nation's second-favorite cereal and third-best-selling at 129 million boxes, debuted in 1979 and brought in an annual revenue of $421.7 million.
Chex Cereal
General Mills agreed to buy Chex in 1996 to keep pace with rival Kellogg. Chex traces its lineage to 1937 and has become a scion of domestic snack mixes nationwide.
Chex Mix
Also, under the Chex umbrella, Chex Mix is owned by General Mills.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is favored by kids and adults alike worldwide. Introduced in 1984, the cereal has sold 105 million boxes with an annual revenue of $344 million.
Cocoa Puffs
People have been going coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs for over 60 years. In fact, a survey from Statista found that 13 million people consumed 1-4 portions of the sweet treat over the last seven days.
Cookie Crisp
Introduced in 1977, Cookie Crisp was acquired by General Mills in 1997. Cookie Crisp condenses big cookie flavor into a breakfast-table-topping treat.
Dunkaroos
A star among afterschool snackers nationwide, Dunkaroos debuted in 1990, vanished in 2012 (except in Canada), and were brought back in 2020. The recipe remained, but new flavors and cookie and pancake mixes, frosting, and even cereal were released.
EPIC
EPIC Provisions started in 2013 and produces animal-based protein snacks, such as bars and bites, to reduce emissions associated with raising beef. It was acquired by General Mills in 2016.
Fiber One
Fiber One is created for the nine in ten Americans who don't get enough fiber. It started as a cereal in 1985, but the introduction of bars, brownies, and other items supercharged the fiber-powered company.
Gardetto's
The Gardetto's culinary empire began in 1932 with a Milwaukee corner bakery. General Mills acquired the company in 1999, believing in the prolonged love for salty snacks. In fact, salty snacks are on the up after a pandemic slump, and Gardetto's had nearly $150 million in revenue in 2022.
Gold Medal
"Gold Medal" is bestowed upon the finest flour. And, given its birth as an accumulation of milling operations, it might be the most iconic brand under the General Mills umbrella. Surviving 19th-century censure, tech revolutions, and more, Gold Medal won best in show in its 1880 debut.
Golden Grahams
Honey-hued Golden Grahams were introduced in 1976 and boast 11 grams of whole grains per serving, a sprinkling of vitamins and minerals, and a lack of artificial flavors, colors, and high fructose corn syrup.
Good Measure
Launched by General Mills in 2021, Good Measure is a line of blood-sugar-friendly foods for a healthier lifestyle. They're rich in nutrients and low in glycemic impact, providing stress-free snacks for the 38 million people with diabetes.
Green Giant
The Green Giant brand started in 1903 as the Minnesota Valley Canning Company. The titular giant, inspired by a huge pea, appeared in 1925.
In 2015, behind lagging sales, B&G Foods acquired Green Giant and Le Sueur for $765 million. B&G recently sold a part of Green Giant to Seneca Food Corporation.
Häagen-Dazs
Started in 1960 by two Polish immigrants from the Bronx, Häagen-Dazs doesn't mean anything in any language. But it does mean big money, with 900 global locations and estimated annual revenue of $420.7 million.
Jus-Rol
Making food easier, frozen-dough distributor Jus-Rol was founded in 1954. It's suffering some turmoil in Europe; General Mills sold assets to the French company Cérélia, but UK regulators seek to undo the deal to restore market competition.
Kix
Kix was born during the Great Depression to boost sales, and it introduced something new: the first puffed corn cereal, made with an equally fresh invention, the puffing gun, a revolving steel barrel that heats and presses puffs into crispiness.
Larabar
LÄRABAR was born in 2000 to marry junk food flavor with natural ingredients. General Mills acquired the brand for about $55 million in 2008. Recently, LÄRABAR had $147 million in sales.
Latina Fresh
Latina Fresh is an Australian brand founded in Melbourne in the 1980s, producing pasta, sauce, and quick-and-easy chilled meals.
Liberté
Liberté, originally Liberty Dairy Products, was inspired by the Statue of Liberty and began in 1936 in Montreal as a kosher dairy-maker. The company started making yogurt in 1964 and became part of Yoplait in 2010 and General Mills in 2021.
Lucky Charms
A favorite among cereal lovers, Lucky Charms was formulated in 1964 with the goal of using an existing General Mills cereal as its base: Wheaties or Cheerios. The latter was chosen and then mixed with pieces of circus peanuts.
Lore-wise, each shape imbues the eater with specific powers.
Monster Cereals
The Monster Cereals debuted in the early 1970s on the coattails of monster-movie-mania. They were then uniquely flavored and available year-round but are now Halloween specials. The recent adoption of Carmella Creeper was the first addition in 35 years.
Muir Glen
In 2000, General Mills acquired the privately held Small Planet Foods, a leading organic food producer, along with its Muir Glen and Cascadian Farm brands. Muir Glen, founded in 1991, makes organic, sustainable canned tomatoes, pasta sauces, and salsa.
Nature Valley
A mainstay at convenience stores and in lunchboxes, the sweet, crumbly Nature Valley was created in 1973 to make granola convenient. It's the most popular granola bar in 2023, with sales valued at $667 million.
Old El Paso
After a strong tortilla year, Old El Paso enjoyed an annual revenue of $448.2 million this year, an increase of 10.1% from 2022.
Old El Paso is the child of the Mountain Pass Canning Company, founded in 1917, which launched the Mexican-food-inspired company in 1938.
Oui
General Mills solidified its yogurt profits by adding the artisanal Oui, a branch of Yoplait, in 2017.
The move was spurred by the past decade's shift toward Greek-style yogurts. Oui is cultured in individual glass jars atop a layer of fruit. Oui exceeded expectations by 30% and achieved a first-year revenue of $101.5 million.
Pillsbury
The doughy Pillsbury originated in 1869 in flour mills on the banks of the Mississippi River. In 2001, Diageo sold Pillsbury to General Mills for $10.5 billion. The acquisition of Pillsbury vaulted General Mills to the upper echelons of consumer packaged goods manufacturers, boosting its top line from $7.9 billion to $13.5 billion.
Pillsbury Atta
International and national audiences alike adore distinct, worldly flavors like Pillsbury Atta. Atta is an Indian flour, and this brand provides age-old tradition by using 100% whole wheat stone-ground grains offering extra protein, fiber, and minerals.
Progresso
Soup masters Progresso joined General Mills during the Pillsbury acquisition of 2001. Progresso was founded in the early 1990s, and by the '30s, it was famed for its tomatoes and tomato paste. By the '50s, it extended sales across the U.S. By the '80s, it became known for canned soups.
Raisin Nut Bran
Among the cereals aimed at adults, Raisin Nut Bran supplies 28 grams of whole grain per serving and heartiness for long-lived satiety.
Ratio Food
Another General Mills brand focused on healthier eating, Ratio has keto-friendly options, including yogurts, dairy drinks, bars, and granola.
Reese's Puffs
Reese's Puffs embraces modern maneuvering, including collaborations with various artists (one limited edition collab sold out in 30 seconds) and the design firm AMBUSH. Media partnerships have also encompassed an AR game and an AR music-making app.
Total
Who says cereal has to be super sugary? Nutritional totality is the founding philosophy behind Total, which provides 100% of the daily recommendation of 11 vitamins and minerals.
Totino's / Jeno's
In late 2022, Totino's pizza rolls became General Mills' ninth billion-dollar brand. Totino's began as a full-size pizzeria, established on a $1,500 loan. The mini-pizza giant was bought by Pillsbury for $20 million in 1975.
Trix
The tricolor Trix became the first fruit-flavored cereal when it debuted in 1954.
General Mills resurrected Trix's fruit shapes after abandoning them for a decade. The brand also revived Cinnamon Toast Crunch using a winning marketing tactic: nostalgia.
Wanchai Ferry
General Mills' global Chinese food brand was once a dumpling cart at a Hong Kong ferry pier in the late 1970s. In 2007, Wanchai Ferry dinner kits became General Mills' first intentional foray in the U.S. market.
Wheaties
The whole-grain, B-vitamin-laden Wheaties are General Mill's first modern cereal, released in 1921. Initially named Washburn's Whole Wheat Flakes, Wheaties are an accidental creation: wheat bran spilled into a hot oven and quickly crisped into toasty flakes.
Yoki
Yoki is a Brazilian alimentary company making over 600 food items across nine brands, including family-forward snack foods. It was founded in 1960 and then acquired for approximately $853 million in 2012 by General Mills.
Yoplait
Yogurt titan Yoplait is the union of six French dairy co-ops, which joined powers in 1965. History is hidden in the logo, with each co-op represented by a petal in the Yoplait flower.
Yoplait was sold by the Michigan Cottage Cheese company in 1976 and teamed up with General Mills in 1977. In 2021, Yoplait's annual sales were $927 million.
Does General Mills Own Any Other Companies or Brands?
Major offshoots include Gold Medal Ventures, the "disruptive innovation arm" of General Mills. It's focused on early-stage startup investments, pairing "deep market research with agile experimentation" and effecting growth equity for promising brands. The investment portfolio includes pet wellness, health foods, and sustainable industry practices.
Additionally, General Mills company announced a $15 million investment in 301 INC, its venture capital arm. The funding promotes racial and gender equality and equity in food entrepreneurship at the intersection of food, culture, and technology.
Who Are General Mills' Competitors?
General Mills and Kellogg have slugged it out in grocery stores worldwide, but General Mills is currently top dog. General Mills' market share is 34.2% with $3.1 billion in sales (+9.4% over last year) compared to Kellogg's 25.3% and $2.3 billion in sales (-5.2%).
Both companies, as well as rivals Quaker and proprietary store brands, saw a decrease in total unit sales in 2022. Only rival company Post Consumer Brands notched an increase in unit sales.
Other competitors include:
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- Nestlé*
- Quaker Oats
- Tyson Foods
- Conagra Brands
- Kraft Heinz Company
*subject to its own boycott