Conagra Brands vs General Mills: Founders, CEOs and History
Conagra Brands was founded in 1919 by Alva Kinney and is led by John Brase. General Mills was founded in 1866 by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby and is led by Jeffrey Harmening.
Company facts
Conagra Brands
- Founded
- 1919
- Headquarters
- Chicago, Illinois
- Current CEO
- John Brase
- Employees
- 17,400
General Mills
- Founded
- 1866
- Headquarters
- Golden Valley (Minneapolis), Minnesota
- Current CEO
- Jeffrey Harmening
- Employees
- 30,000
Founders
Conagra Brands
Alva Kinney
Alva Kinney is credited with founding Nebraska Consolidated Mills in 1919 by combining four flour mills in Nebraska, with the company based in Omaha. Consolidation gave the mills more purchasing and selling scale against larger milling companies.
General Mills
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.
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.
CEOs and their tenures
Conagra Brands
- Charles "Mike" Harper1974–1992
Former Chairman and CEO
Rescued ConAgra from near-bankruptcy and expanded it through acquisitions such as Banquet and Beatrice; championed the Healthy Choice launch.
Source - Gary Rodkin2005–2015
Former CEO
Sold commodity businesses and led the Ralcorp acquisition.
Source - Sean Connolly2015–2026
Former President and CEO
Sold the private-label business, spun off Lamb Weston, moved headquarters to Chicago, and bought Pinnacle Foods.
Source - John Brase2026–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Former J.M. Smucker president and COO and 30-year Procter & Gamble veteran; became CEO June 1, 2026, and launched a margin, reinvestment, and deleveraging plan that included a 50% dividend cut.
Source
General Mills
- Stephen Sanger1995–2007
Former Chairman and CEO
Sanger reshaped the scale and scope of General Mills, transforming it from a prominent cereal manufacturer into one of the largest, most powerful consumer packaged goods conglomerates in the world.
Source - Ken Powell2007–2017
Former Chairman and CEO
Powell provided steady, competent leadership during a period of disruption in the consumer packaged goods industry.
Source - Jeffrey Harmening2017–2026
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (executive chair from January 1, 2027)
According to the board, General Mills returned more than $17 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks under Harmening and reshaped about a third of its portfolio.
Source - Dana McNabb2027–present
Chief Operating Officer; CEO effective January 1, 2027
She will be the first woman to lead General Mills. She has said returning the company to profitable growth is her priority, including a rethink of the Blue Buffalo Wilderness dog-food line.
Source
Timeline: Conagra Brands and General Mills side by side
1866General Mills
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.
1877General Mills
Washburn-Crosby Company formed
Washburn partners with John Crosby to form the Washburn-Crosby Company.
1878General Mills
Washburn '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.
1880General Mills
Gold Medal Flour
Washburn-Crosby flour wins a gold medal at the Millers' International Exhibition in Cincinnati, inspiring the Gold Medal Flour brand.
1919Conagra Brands
Nebraska Consolidated Mills founded
Alva Kinney merges four Nebraska flour mills into Nebraska Consolidated Mills, based in Omaha.
1921General Mills
Betty Crocker created
The company invents the Betty Crocker name to answer consumer baking questions from a flour promotion.
1924General Mills
Wheaties launched
Washburn-Crosby introduces a whole-wheat flake cereal, renamed Wheaties, its first ready-to-eat cereal.
1928General Mills
General Mills incorporated
James Ford Bell merges Washburn-Crosby with other regional milling companies to form General Mills, Inc.
1931General Mills
Bisquick introduced
General Mills launches Bisquick baking mix.
1941General Mills
Cheerios launched
CheeriOats debuts and is renamed Cheerios in 1945, becoming one of the best-selling U.S. cereals.
1951Conagra Brands
Duncan Hines cake mix acquired
The miller enters branded consumer foods with Duncan Hines, then sells the brand to Procter & Gamble in 1956 to fund expansion.
1971Conagra Brands
Renamed ConAgra
The company adopts the ConAgra name as it diversifies beyond flour milling.
1980Conagra Brands
Banquet Foods acquired
ConAgra buys Banquet, its first major frozen-food brand, under CEO Mike Harper.
1990Conagra Brands
Beatrice Foods acquired
The Beatrice deal adds Hunt's, Orville Redenbacher's, Swiss Miss, Reddi-wip, and other brands.
2001General Mills
Pillsbury acquired
General Mills buys Pillsbury from Diageo, adding Pillsbury dough, Old El Paso, Progresso and Haagen-Dazs and roughly doubling in size.
2013Conagra Brands
Ralcorp acquired
ConAgra closes its roughly $5 billion purchase of private-label maker Ralcorp, a deal it later reversed.
2016Conagra Brands
Private Brands sold, Lamb Weston spun off, renamed Conagra Brands
Under CEO Sean Connolly the company sells the Ralcorp private-label business to TreeHouse Foods, spins off Lamb Weston, moves headquarters to Chicago, and becomes Conagra Brands.
2018Conagra Brands
Pinnacle Foods acquired
Conagra closes the roughly $10.9 billion (including debt) acquisition of Pinnacle Foods, adding Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Vlasic, Gardein, and Wish-Bone.
2018General Mills
Blue Buffalo acquired
General Mills buys Blue Buffalo for about $8 billion, creating its pet segment.
2025Conagra Brands
Chef Boyardee divested
Conagra completes the sale of Chef Boyardee to Hometown Food Company for about $600 million.
2025General Mills
Yogurt 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).
2026Conagra Brands
John Brase becomes CEO; dividend cut 50%
Former J.M. Smucker COO John Brase succeeds Sean Connolly on June 1, 2026. In July the company reports $11.28 billion in FY2026 net sales and halves its dividend to $0.70 a year.
2026General Mills
Impairment 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.
Acquisitions
Conagra Brands
- Pinnacle Foods2018$10.9B
- Angie's Artisan Treats (BOOMCHICKAPOP)2017Undisclosed
- Ralcorp Holdings2013$6.8B
- Beatrice Foods1990Undisclosed
- Banquet Foods1980Undisclosed
General Mills
- Whitebridge Pet Brands2025$1.4B
- Tyson Foods pet treats business2022$1.2B
- Blue Buffalo2018$8B
- Annie's Homegrown2014$820M
- Pillsbury2001$10.5B
Questions about Conagra Brands vs General Mills
Who is the CEO of Conagra Brands, Inc. and General Mills, Inc.?
Conagra Brands, Inc. is led by John Brase and General Mills, Inc. is led by Jeffrey Harmening. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Conagra Brands, Inc. founded vs General Mills, Inc.?
General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 — 53 years before Conagra Brands, Inc., which was founded in 1919. General Mills, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Conagra Brands, Inc..
How many employees does Conagra Brands, Inc. have compared to General Mills, Inc.?
Conagra Brands, Inc. employs approximately 17,400 people, while General Mills, Inc. employs approximately 30,000. General Mills, Inc. has the larger workforce at 30,000 employees, compared to Conagra Brands, Inc.'s 17,400. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Conagra Brands, Inc. and General Mills, Inc. headquartered?
Both Conagra Brands, Inc. and General Mills, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Conagra Brands, Inc. and General Mills, Inc.?
Conagra Brands, Inc. was founded by Alva Kinney. General Mills, Inc. was founded by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby.
Which company has a longer operating history — Conagra Brands, Inc. or General Mills, Inc.?
General Mills, Inc. has been operating for approximately 160 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Conagra Brands, Inc. has been in operation for around 107 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Conagra Brands vs General Mills overview