How Many Food Brands Does General Mills Own?

The food and beverage industry can be remarkably impressive, especially in terms of the number of household brands that can exist under a single parent company. One that may be particularly surprising is General Mills. While it was originally a humble flour mill known as Washburn-Crosby, General Mills has become a top manufacturer of a variety of kitchen staples. Many may know it's a major producer of cereals like Cheerios and Kix, but it actually houses 40 major brands across several food genres. This includes originals such as the Betty Crocker line of products and Bugle snacks, as well as others that later joined the General Mills family. In fact, the parent company has a presence in some unexpected industries, like pet food and the restaurant sector.

Starting its Washburn-Crosby days, General Mills first manufactured Superlative flour, which was later rebranded as Gold Medal Flour.  This came from winning the prestigious award at the 1880 First Miller's International Exhibition at the start of Gold Medal's lesser-known history. This led to the 1921 creation of Betty Crocker as a brand and mascot, followed by the debut of Wheaties under its original Washburn's Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes name in 1924.  

As the company transitioned to General Mills, it introduced Bisquik, inspired by a dining cart chef who quickly satisfied a General Mills salesman's hungry request with hot, fresh biscuits. Around the same time, General Mills also engineered its take on the puffing gun, which was uniquely designed to produce its cereal. While Kix and Cheerios were the first to be produced with it, variations of the device called "extruders" manufacture its other cereals like Trix and Lucky Charms.

In addition to its original creations, General Mills' acquisitions over time have also granted it access to a few unexpected industries. For instance, 30 years after introducing Bugles to the world, General Mills acquired the Gardetto's snack family in 1999. It also expanded into the pet industry when it bought Blue Buffalo Pet Products in 2018, possibly influencing the future purchase of Tyson Foods Pet Treats in 2021 and Fera Pets Inc in 2023. However, its most significant purchase was that of Pillsbury in 2000. This expanded General Mills' portfolio greatly as it gained not only Pillsbury products, but also its Häagen-Dazs ice cream line; a venture General Mills now shares with Nestle. According to a 2002 agreement, General Mills agreed to maintain Häagen-Dazs' international business while Nestle holds the license to manufacture and distribute its products in Canada. 

One of the more interesting facets of General Mills' history is its involvement in the history of Red Lobster. The multinational manufacturer purchased the Florida-based brand in 1970, granting it a presence within the restaurant industry.  Under General Mills, Red Lobster expanded its locations to almost 400 restaurants nationwide, while sister brand Olive Garden was born in 1982. Despite General Mills' initial ambition, the company decided to exit the restaurant industry, spinning Darden off into its own by 1995. Today, Red Lobster is owned by parent company Golden Gate Capital, but its time as a General Mills food brand stands as one of the many ways the seafood restaurant and Olive Garden are forever connected.