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.

What is General Mills' annual revenue?
For fiscal year 2025 (ended May 25, 2025), General Mills reported net sales of $19.5 billion, down 2% from $19.86 billion in FY2024. Net earnings were $2.3 billion, down 8% year-over-year. Diluted EPS was $4.10, and adjusted diluted EPS was $4.21. Operating profit was $3.3 billion, down 4%.

Who is the CEO of General Mills?
Jeff Harmening has served as Chairman and CEO since 2017. He has emphasized a "remarkable experience" framework focused on product innovation, consumer value, and brand building to restore volume-driven growth. Harmening stated that the company's "number one goal in fiscal 2026 is to restore volume-driven organic sales growth."

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.

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.

What is General Mills' FY2026 outlook?
For fiscal 2026, General Mills expects organic net sales to range from down 1% to up 1%. Adjusted operating profit is expected to decline 10-15% in constant currency, and adjusted diluted EPS is expected to decline 10-15% from the FY2025 base of $4.21. The decline reflects growth investments, input cost inflation including tariff impacts, and a reset of corporate incentive compensation.

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. 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 U.S. military during World War II.

General Mills acquired Pillsbury in 2001 for approximately $10.4 billion, adding the Pillsbury baking brand, Haagen-Dazs ice cream, and other products. The company 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 25, 2025), General Mills reported net sales of $19.5 billion, down 2% from the prior year. Net earnings were $2.3 billion, down 8%. The company faced volume pressure from consumer trade-down in response to food price inflation, particularly in its North American retail segment. Q4 profit fell 47% to $294 million, reflecting increased investments in consumer value and product innovation.

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

Arbitration clause controversy: 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.

Labeling litigation: The company has faced litigation related to product labeling claims, including lawsuits alleging that "natural" labeling on products containing genetically modified ingredients was misleading.

Global transformation initiative: In May 2025, General Mills announced a multi-year global transformation initiative that includes severance costs and layoffs. The initiative has drawn attention to the company's cost structure and competitive positioning.