General Mills

General Mills, with a turnover of 16.7 billion U.S. dollars ( 2012) to the 500 most actively traded companies in the United States and is the world's sixth -largest food manufacturers. Headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company is listed on the stock index S & P 500. The product range includes breakfast cereals, ready meals, yogurt, pizza, pasta and much more.

History

The history of the present company General Mills goes back to the year 1866 when the founder Cadwallader C. Washburn took a flour mill on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis in operation. In 1877, Washburn Crosby with John on a partner, and the company was henceforth carried on under the name of Washburn Crosby Company. This company brought the still available breakfast cereal Wheaties on the market that were the subject of the 1926 first ever broadcast advertising jingles in the U.S. on Christmas Eve.

1928 was the present name from the merger of several regional mills. Once other manufacturers of flour joined this alliance, created in a short time the world's largest producer of flour, consisting of 27 companies in 16 U.S. states. In 1928 and the initial public offering in New York.

The company grew in its course with the production and sale of flour and the production and market introduction of breakfast cereals and bakery products.

Although General Mills always concentrated on the area of ​​food, the group tried temporarily in other areas. The company produced iron and acquired in the 60s with Rainbow Crafts ( 1965), Kenner ( 1967), Parker Brothers ( 1968), Palitoy ( 1968), the French game publisher Miro Company ( 1969), Denys Fisher Toys ( 1970) Meccano France (1971 /72) and Meccano England (1981), several manufacturers of toys. General Mills was also active in the field of jewelery and clothing. Also bought and founded General Mills restaurant chains.

In the 80 years General Mills has focused again on the line food and all food sold remote areas. So Meccano was sold in 1985 and merged Kenner and Parker Brothers to Kenner Parker Toys Inc. in the same year and in 1987 sold to Tonka. The restaurants were spun off in 1995 as Darden Restaurants and floated.

2001 General Mills grew by buying the food producer Pillsbury Company to its present size.

Well-known products and brands

In Germany, General Mills operates the brand Häagen- Dazs, Old El Paso, Knack & Back, and Betty Crocker.