According to Jeff Harmening, CEO of General Mills, people still want great-tasting, unfussy products, regardless of the changing consumer landscape.
“We’re increasing our levels of innovation across the board, with a laser focus on delivering exceptional taste with simple ingredients,” he said.
The company has modernized its portfolio, updating products like Cheerios, Betty Crocker and Annie’s; expanding its gluten free and organic offerings; and making nutritional improvements such as those seen below across brands to give people more choices.
Products launching this summer
US
- Annie’s Organic Cheese Puffs: Organic baked corn puffs. Flavors: Cheddar Cheesy and White Cheddar Bunny Tail.
- Apple Cinnamon Toast Crunch: Contains no artificial colors or flavors.
- Betty Crocker Original Recipe: Contains only recognizable (no artificial) ingredients found in a pantry, like sugar, flour and cocoa. Flavors: Golden Yellow, Chocolate Joy and German Chocolate Delight.
- Blueberry Chex Gluten-free cereal.
- Fiber One Protein Nut Bars: With 10 g of protein and only 5 g of sugar. Flavors: Chocolate Pretzel Nut and Sweet & Salty Roasted Nut.
- Lärabar Nut & Seed Crunchy Bars: Non-GMO Project verified, gluten-free, soy-free and kosher. Flavors: Maple Cinnamon, Honey Almond Cranberry and Dark Chocolate Almond.
- Nature Valley Biscuits in Coconut Butter: Each biscuit contains 13 g of whole grain and toasted coconut.
- Nature Valley XL Protein Chewy Bars: Gluten-free and containing 15 g of protein. Flavors: Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate and Mixed Nut.
- Old El Paso Blue Corn Stand ‘n Stuff Taco Shells.
- Pillsbury’s Best Pizza Dough: Available in Classic and Thin Crust.
Canada
- Old El Paso Thick Cut Tortilla Chips.
Europe
- Old El Paso Mini Stand ‘N Stuff Taco Kits (France and UK): Flavors: Extra Mild Super Tasty and Sweet Chile & Garlic.
Asia
- Wanchai Ferry Sea Cucumber Shrimp Dumpling (China).
General Mills has also launched new editions of its Häagen-Dazs ice cream, Progresso soup and different yogurt products internationally.
Simon Boulanger joins General Mills France
General Mills France has appointed Simon Boulanger as commercial director, working under the direction of Nicolas de La Giroday, VP and director general of General Mills Southern Europe.
Boulanger, 43, has 20 years of commercial experience acquired over multiple categories having worked at Danone Produits Frais and Henkel Laundry & Home Care.
General Mills France is part of the General Mills Group that operates in more than 100 countries around the world.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the company generated consolidated net sales of $15.6bn, as well as another $1bn from its proportionate share of joint-venture net sales in 2017.
Patent to protect fortified cereal process
In other news, General Mills has filed a patent that improves the quality of ready-to-eat (RTE) cereals fortified with nutrients.
According to the patent, the expansion of RTE cereals depends on an unobstructed expansion of molten starch.
However, insoluble nutrients like dietary fiber or calcium carbonate interfere with the bubble-forming process and result in a cereal that is gritty, uneven and softens quickly.
General Mills has found a way process to eliminate these defects. The nutrients are added to a water and starch dough, and then extruding into miniscule pellets.
These pellets are then mixed with the cereal’s ingredients and the cereal is then re-extruded, thus distributing the nutrients throughout the pieces of RTE cereal.