Our history

Our legacy of innovation

General Mills has a trailblazing history of making food with passion, pioneering many firsts and treating the world with care.

For over a century and a half, we’ve created and invented, served and connected — while having fun along the way.

From a single flour mill to over 100 brands in 100 countries, the General Mills story is one of people, passion and purpose.

The early days as The Big Mill

In Washburn-Crosby Company’s first days, before General Mills existed as a company, it was a flour mill, perched on the banks of the Mississippi River — the lifeblood of what would become Minneapolis, Minnesota. Built by Cadwallader Washburn, the Washburn Mill was the largest mill west of Buffalo, New York. The company was so successful that an even larger Washburn Mill was built in 1873 to keep up with demand.

A fatal flour explosion occurred on May 2, 1878, claiming 18 lives and destroying the original mills. Spurred by the tragedy, Cadwallader Washburn created a fund to care for the families who had lost loved ones and reemployed everyone that worked in the mill to rebuild. He also sent millers to travel Europe to study new milling technology. When they returned, they developed and freely shared technology to make the entire milling industry safer.

Washburn-Crosby Company’s flour brands went on to become a top-selling flour in the U.S., winning the gold, silver and bronze medals in an international millers’ competition in 1880. The 1st prize winner was renamed Gold Medal.

On June 20, 1928, then Washburn-Crosby President James Ford Bell merged with other flour mills, and General Mills was born.

Highlights:

• 1866: Cadwallader Washburn built his first mill in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which would become the foundation of General Mills
• 1878: Following the explosion of the Washburn “A” Mill in Minneapolis, Washburn revolutionizes the industry with a renewed commitment to safety and quality
• 1928: General Mills is formed

General Mills through the decades

Through challenging times like The Great Depression and WWII, General Mills offered solutions and a commitment to keep delivering something new.

Wheaties were introduced, followed by Bisquick, Kix, Cheerios, and an out-of-the-box investment: sponsoring radio shows.

This relentless drive for innovation propelled General Mills into many new territories over the years: aeronautical research, , restaurants, clothing and apparel, toys and games, and more.

Highlights:

• 1921: Betty Crocker, the first lady of food, is created as a personality to answer letters from consumers
• 1926: The Wheaties Quartet debuted what’s believed to be the first singing radio commercial
• 1931: Bisquick is developed and quickly becomes an American household pantry staple
• 1941: Cheerioats launched; the name is changed to Cheerios in 1945
• 1953: The Ryan flight recorder, the precursor to the Black Box for airplanes, is developed in partnership with the University of Minnesota
• 1965: The Pillsbury Doughboy is created
• 1970: General Mills continued to expand into the restaurant industry with the purchase of Red Lobster
• 1976: Following the success of Nature Valley cereal, Nature Valley granola bars are launched
• 1983: The Pillsbury Company purchased Häagen-Dazs, which has since gone on to become an international hit
• 1996: Box Tops for Education is launched nationwide, designed to help schools raise money for the things they really needed. Since its launch, Box Tops has raised nearly $1 Billion for schools
• 1999: General Mills announced its acquisition of Small Planet Foods, bringing Muir Glen and Cascadian Farm into the company, setting General Mills on the path to becoming one of the largest producers of natural and organic foods in North America

Still foodies after all these years

On October 31, 2001, General Mills acquired Pillsbury, which marked the most significant event in the company’s history since its founding.

Though the merger marked a new beginning, one thing has remained unchanged after all these years: the food. Through over 150 years of challenges, successes and new ventures, General Mills has put passion and purpose into making food the world loves.

Highlights:

• 2001: General Mills acquired The Pillsbury Company and became one of the world’s largest food companies
• 2018: Blue Buffalo joined the General Mills family, marking a new chapter as the leader in the Wholesome Natural pet food category

Today, General Mills is home to over 100 beloved brands around the world and celebrates the history of those brands.