General Mills, Inc.

What does General Mills own?
General Mills owns a portfolio of consumer food brands including Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Wheaties, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Totino's, Old El Paso, Annie's, and Blue Buffalo pet food. The company operates in more than 100 countries and sells products across breakfast cereals, snacks, baking, frozen foods, yogurt, and pet food categories.

Is General Mills publicly traded?
Yes, General Mills, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker GIS. The company has been publicly traded for decades and has paid dividends continuously for more than 125 years. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street. General Mills has no single controlling shareholder.

Who founded General Mills?
General Mills was formed in 1928 through the merger of Washburn-Crosby Company and several other flour milling companies. Washburn-Crosby Company was founded in 1866 by Cadwallader Washburn and John Crosby in Minneapolis, Minnesota. James Ford Bell led the 1928 merger that created General Mills. The company's origins in flour milling trace to the 1860s, making it one of the oldest consumer food companies in the United States.

Where is General Mills headquartered?
General Mills is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The company has maintained its headquarters in the Minneapolis area since its founding, reflecting the city's historical importance as a center of flour milling and food processing. General Mills operates manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and other regions.

How many brands does General Mills own?
General Mills owns more than 100 consumer food brands across breakfast cereals, snacks, baking products, frozen foods, yogurt, and pet food. Key brands include Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Lucky Charms, Totino's, Old El Paso, Annie's, and Blue Buffalo. The company sells products in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Who owns General Mills?
General Mills, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE with a broad institutional and retail shareholder base. No single shareholder holds a controlling stake. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street. Jeff Harmening serves as Chairman and CEO. General Mills has no founding family or private equity controlling shareholder.

General Mills traces its origins to the Washburn-Crosby Company, founded in Minneapolis in 1866 by Cadwallader Washburn and John Crosby as a flour milling business. The company grew to become one of the largest flour millers in the United States, benefiting from Minneapolis's position as a hub for wheat processing.

In 1921, Washburn-Crosby Company introduced Gold Medal flour, which became one of the most recognized flour brands in the United States. The company also created the fictional character Betty Crocker in 1921 as a spokesperson for its baking products, a brand identity that has endured for more than a century.

General Mills was formed in 1928 through the merger of Washburn-Crosby Company with several other regional flour milling companies. The merger created one of the largest flour milling operations in the United States. James Ford Bell led the merger and served as the first CEO of General Mills.

The company diversified beyond flour milling in the 1930s and 1940s, launching Cheerios (originally called CheeriOats) in 1941 and expanding into other cereal products. General Mills also developed food products for the US military during World War II.

The postwar decades saw continued diversification. General Mills acquired Pillsbury in 2001 for approximately $10.4 billion, adding the Pillsbury baking brand, Haagen-Dazs ice cream, and other products. The Pillsbury acquisition significantly expanded General Mills's product portfolio and international presence.

General Mills acquired Yoplait's US license in 2011 and subsequently acquired full ownership of the Yoplait brand internationally. The company also acquired Annie's Homegrown, a natural and organic food brand, in 2014 for approximately $820 million.

In 2018, General Mills made its largest acquisition in decades, purchasing Blue Buffalo Pet Products for approximately $8 billion. The acquisition marked General Mills's entry into the pet food market, which has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the consumer food industry.

For fiscal year 2025 (ended May 2025), General Mills reported net sales of approximately $19.0 billion. The company has faced volume pressure from consumer trade-down in response to food price inflation, while maintaining its focus on brand investment and innovation.

General Mills has received extensive recognition for food innovation, sustainability leadership, workplace quality, and brand excellence across its diverse consumer food portfolio and global operations.

• Food Innovation: Recognition for cereal innovation, snack product development, and nutritional science breakthroughs across breakfast foods and convenience foods
• Sustainability Leadership: Awards for environmental initiatives, sustainable agriculture programs, and carbon reduction efforts across manufacturing and supply chain
• Workplace Excellence: Recognition as a top employer in the food and beverage industry with diversity and inclusion programs
• Brand Recognition: Multiple awards for brand strength and consumer trust across cereals, baking, frozen foods, and pet food segments
• Product Quality: Recognition for product quality, food safety standards, and manufacturing excellence across all product categories
• Corporate Responsibility: Awards for social impact programs, community development initiatives, and ethical business practices
• Supply Chain Management: Recognition for responsible sourcing, agricultural partnerships, and supply chain transparency
• Digital Innovation: Awards for e-commerce capabilities, mobile applications, and digital customer experience
• Global Leadership: Recognition as one of the world's most sustainable food manufacturers and leading consumer food companies
• Financial Performance: Recognition for financial stability, dividend consistency, and shareholder value creation

General Mills has faced scrutiny from consumer advocacy groups regarding the nutritional content of its products, particularly its breakfast cereals marketed to children. The company has committed to reducing added sugars in its children's cereals and has reformulated several products.

In 2016, General Mills briefly attempted to include a mandatory arbitration clause in its online privacy policy that would have waived consumers' right to sue the company. The policy was widely criticized and quickly reversed.

General Mills has also faced litigation related to product labeling claims, including lawsuits alleging that "natural" labeling on products containing genetically modified ingredients was misleading.