General Mills, Inc.
Company History
General Mills History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1866 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
When was General Mills founded?
General Mills was founded in 1866 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Cadwallader C. Washburn and John Crosby, making it 160 years old.
- Founded
- 1866
- Founding place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Founders
- Cadwallader C. Washburn and John Crosby
- Headquarters today
- Golden Valley (Minneapolis), Minnesota
- Milestones documented
- 13 (1866–2026)
- Current CEO
- Jeffrey Harmening
- Acquisitions
- 5
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1866 | Washburn builds his first Minneapolis mill |
| 1877 | Washburn-Crosby Company formed |
| 1878 | Washburn 'A' Mill explosion |
| 1880 | Gold Medal Flour |
| 1921 | Betty Crocker created |
| 1924 | Wheaties launched |
| 1928 | General Mills incorporated |
| 1931 | Bisquick introduced |
| 1941 | Cheerios launched |
| 2001 | Pillsbury acquired |
| 2018 | Blue Buffalo acquired |
| 2025 | Yogurt exit and Whitebridge deal |
| 2026 | Impairment and CEO succession |
- Where was General Mills founded?
- General Mills was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1866.
- Who founded General Mills?
- General Mills was founded by Cadwallader C. Washburn and John Crosby.
- When did General Mills start?
- General Mills was founded in 1866.
- How old is General Mills?
- General Mills is 160 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 1866 Cadwallader C. Washburn built a flour mill at St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi in Minneapolis. After his larger 'A' Mill exploded in 1878, killing 18 workers, he rebuilt it with roller-milling technology. Washburn partnered with John Crosby to form the Washburn-Crosby Company in 1877, and its flour won a gold medal at an 1880 millers' exhibition, giving rise to Gold Medal Flour. In 1921 the company created the Betty Crocker name to answer consumer baking letters, and in 1928 company president James Ford Bell merged Washburn-Crosby with other regional mills to form General Mills.
Founders
Cadwallader C. Washburn
Washburn was one of several brothers prominent in U.S. politics. Alongside his political career he invested in Minneapolis milling, opening his first mill in 1866 and the much larger 'A' Mill in 1874. The 1878 dust explosion destroyed the A Mill and nearby mills and killed 18 workers; Washburn rebuilt with improved dust control and roller mills. In 1877 he partnered with John Crosby to form the Washburn-Crosby Company, the main predecessor of General Mills. He died in 1882. Cadwallader C. Washburn was born in 1818.
John Crosby
John Crosby joined Cadwallader Washburn in 1877 to form the Washburn-Crosby Company. The firm's flour won a gold medal at the 1880 Millers' International Exhibition in Cincinnati, which became the Gold Medal Flour brand. Crosby died in 1887, long before the company created Betty Crocker (1921) and merged into General Mills (1928), so those later moves belong to successors such as James Ford Bell. John Crosby was born in 1828 in Hampden. John Crosby III was born on November 1, 1828 and died on December 29, 1887.
Key Milestones
Washburn builds his first Minneapolis mill
Cadwallader C. Washburn opens a flour mill at St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River, the earliest root of General Mills.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWashburn-Crosby Company formed
Washburn partners with John Crosby to form the Washburn-Crosby Company.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWashburn 'A' Mill explosion
A flour-dust explosion destroys the A Mill and neighboring mills, killing 18 workers; the mill is rebuilt with roller-milling technology.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgGold Medal Flour
Washburn-Crosby flour wins a gold medal at the Millers' International Exhibition in Cincinnati, inspiring the Gold Medal Flour brand.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgBetty Crocker created
The company invents the Betty Crocker name to answer consumer baking questions from a flour promotion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWheaties launched
Washburn-Crosby introduces a whole-wheat flake cereal, renamed Wheaties, its first ready-to-eat cereal.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgGeneral Mills incorporated
James Ford Bell merges Washburn-Crosby with other regional milling companies to form General Mills, Inc.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCheerios launched
CheeriOats debuts and is renamed Cheerios in 1945, becoming one of the best-selling U.S. cereals.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgPillsbury acquired
General Mills buys Pillsbury from Diageo, adding Pillsbury dough, Old El Paso, Progresso and Haagen-Dazs and roughly doubling in size.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgBlue Buffalo acquired
General Mills buys Blue Buffalo for about $8 billion, creating its pet segment.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgYogurt exit and Whitebridge deal
General Mills sells its U.S. yogurt business to Lactalis and Canadian yogurt to Sodiaal, and acquires Whitebridge Pet Brands (Edgard & Cooper, Tiki Pets).
Source: en.wikipedia.orgImpairment and CEO succession
Fiscal 2026 ends with a $1.5 billion pet goodwill impairment and a GAAP net loss; on September 30 the board names COO Dana McNabb CEO effective January 1, 2027.
Source: finance.yahoo.comMajor Acquisitions
Pillsbury
2001General Mills bought Pillsbury from Diageo in a stock-and-debt deal valued at about $10.5 billion, adding Pillsbury refrigerated dough, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso and Haagen-Dazs.
Blue Buffalo
2018General Mills made its largest acquisition ever by purchasing Blue Buffalo, the leading natural pet food brand in the United States, to enter the fast-growing premium pet food market. Pet food was experiencing structural growth driven by pet humanization trends that consumers were trading up from commodity pet food to premium and natural options.
Annie's Homegrown
2014General Mills acquired Annie's Homegrown, the natural and organic food brand best known for its macaroni and cheese, to establish a credible presence in the organic food segment without launching entirely new brands. Annie's had strong household recognition and distribution in natural and conventional grocery channels.
Tyson Foods pet treats business
2022Added Nudges, Top Chews and True Chews pet treats to the Pet segment.
Whitebridge Pet Brands
2025Acquired Edgard & Cooper and Tiki Pets to add premium cat food and European pet presence.
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General Mills Company History FAQ
When was General Mills founded and what were its predecessor roots in Minneapolis?
General Mills traces its roots to 1866, when Cadwallader C. Washburn opened a flour mill on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Washburn and John Crosby formed the Washburn-Crosby Company in 1877, which merged with other mills to form General Mills on June 20, 1928.
When was Gold Medal Flour introduced and why was it given that name?
Washburn Crosby's flour won the prestigious gold medal at the first Millers' International Exhibition in Cincinnati in 1880, prompting the company to officially rebrand its product as 'Gold Medal Flour', which remains America's leading flour brand.
When was the well-known Cheerios breakfast cereal launched?
General Mills introduced 'Cheerioats' in 1941 as the world's first ready-to-eat oat puff cereal, officially renaming it 'Cheerios' in 1945. Cheerios grew into the bestselling ready-to-eat breakfast cereal in the United States.
When did General Mills create Box Tops for Education?
In 1996, General Mills launched Box Tops for Education on cereal boxes in California, expanding it nationwide in 1998 into a well-known digital school fundraising platform that has contributed over $950 million to American schools.
When did General Mills acquire The Pillsbury Company?
In November 2001, General Mills finalized the landmark $10.5 billion acquisition of The Pillsbury Company, doubling its revenue scale and uniting the Pillsbury Doughboy with Betty Crocker.
When did General Mills acquire Blue Buffalo to enter pet food?
In April 2018, General Mills completed the transformational $8.0 billion acquisition of Blue Buffalo Pet Products, establishing its fast-growing Pet operating segment.
How did General Mills start?
General Mills was founded in 1928 when James Ford Bell orchestrated the massive consolidation of the Washburn-Crosby Company with 26 other regional flour mills. Washburn-Crosby had already invented "Betty Crocker" in 1921 as a fictional marketing character to answer letters from housewives who were struggling to bake.
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