Nils-Gerrit Wunsch
Research expert covering foods trends in North America, Europe, and the global food system
General Mills - statistics & facts
Spy balloons, black boxes for planes, and the submarine that explored the Titanic. General Mills and its electronics division have a colorful history that reaches far beyond its food processing business. Closer to its core business, the company invented the puffing gun, which gives some cereals, such as its brand Cheerios, its famous form. Cereals are the second-biggest product segment of General Mills, following the company's snack segment. However, internationally, the company’s cereal is sold under the Nestlé brand in a joint venture called Cereal Partners Worldwide. Only in the U.S. and Canada does General Mills market its cereal.
A colorful palette of brands
General Mills owns a large collection of brands. Among them is Häagen-Dazs, a premium ice cream brand. In contrast to its cereal arrangements, Häagen-Dazs in the U.S. is owned by Froneri, which is half-owned by Nestlé. Only internationally do the brands' rights belong to General Mills. Other brands owned by General Mills include Nature Valley, which is the leading brand of granola bars in the U.S., and Old El Paso. Tortilla and taco kits are sold by General Mills under the Old El Paso brand. To promote these brands and others, the company spends about 810 million U.S. dollars annually on advertising and media activities.Home is where the heart is
The North American region is the core market for the company from Minnesota. Currently, about 63 percent of General Mills’ net sales are generated by retailing in North America. The operating profits of the region's retail reflect this. Approximately 3.2 billion U.S. dollars of operating profits are generated by General Mills in NA retail. In the North American retail segment, U.S. meals and baking products are the leading sales category. Morning foods and snacks in the U.S. come before the first non-U.S. division of NA retail, Canada.New ventures
Any company that is as old and as big as General Mills undoubtedly has a colorful history, and General Mills has one that is more colorful than most. The most recent chapter in the company’s history is the venture into the pet foods market. In 2018, General Mills acquired Blue Buffalo Pet Products, Inc. In 2021, it added brands such as True Chews, Nudges, and Top Chews to its portfolio by buying them from Tyson Foods. And finally, in 2023, General Mills took control of Fera Pets, Inc., a producer of food supplements for pets. Nestlé owned Purina Petcare has vowed to launch 100 new products onto the market in 2024 to strengthen its already significant market position. On the U.S. pet food market, General Mills is thus set to run into increasing competition from one of its major business partners.
