Danone vs General Mills: Founders, CEOs and History
Danone was founded in 1919 by Isaac Carasso and is led by Antoine de Saint-Affrique. General Mills was founded in 1866 by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby and is led by Jeffrey Harmening.
Company facts
Danone
- Founded
- 1919
- Headquarters
- Paris, France
- Current CEO
- Antoine de Saint-Affrique
- Employees
- 90,000
General Mills
- Founded
- 1866
- Headquarters
- Golden Valley (Minneapolis), Minnesota
- Current CEO
- Jeffrey Harmening
- Employees
- 30,000
Founders
Danone
Isaac Carasso
Isaac Carasso founded Danone in Barcelona in 1919, naming the yogurt after his son Daniel ('Danon' in Catalan).
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
Danone
- Antoine Riboud1973–1996
Former CEO and Architect of modern Danone
He turned a regional glass manufacturer into one of France's largest food groups, and his dual-project idea still frames Danone's mission status and B Corp certification.
Source - Franck Riboud1996–2014
Former CEO and Chairman
He pushed Danone deeper into emerging markets in Asia, Latin America and Africa and co-created Grameen Danone Foods with Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh in 2006.
Source - Emmanuel Faber2014–2021
Former CEO and Chairman
Faber was praised for ESG leadership but criticized by activist investors such as Bluebell Capital and Artisan Partners for lagging sales growth, margins and share-price returns versus Nestle and Unilever. The board removed him in March 2021.
Source - Antoine de Saint-Affrique2021–present
Chief Executive Officer
Under his leadership like-for-like sales growth returned to the 3-5% range with positive volume/mix, recurring operating margin rose from 12.2% in 2022 to 13.4% in 2025 and recurring EPS reached EUR3.80.
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: Danone 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.
1919Danone
Danone founded in Barcelona
Isaac Carasso establishes Danone in Barcelona, Spain, producing yogurt as a medicinal product for children with digestive issues.
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.
1929Danone
Expansion to France
Daniel Carasso founds the Societe Parisienne du Yoghourt Danone in Paris, turning the Barcelona pharmacy product into a French consumer brand.
1931General Mills
Bisquick introduced
General Mills launches Bisquick baking mix.
1941Danone
Entry into the United States
Daniel Carasso flees Nazi-occupied France for New York, where he co-founds Dannon Milk Products in the Bronx in 1942, introducing the brand to American consumers.
1941General Mills
Cheerios launched
CheeriOats debuts and is renamed Cheerios in 1945, becoming one of the best-selling U.S. cereals.
1966Danone
BSN formed through glass merger
Antoine Riboud merges glassmakers Souchon-Neuvesel and Boussois to create BSN, the industrial group that would later become Danone.
1970Danone
BSN enters food and beverages
BSN buys Evian, Kronenbourg and Bledina, moving from glass into beverages and baby food. Evian remains Danone's flagship premium water brand.
1994Danone
Corporate name change to Danone
The company changes its name from BSN to Danone, reflecting the food and beverage business's dominance over the original glass operations. This rebranding completes the transformation from an industrial conglomerate into a focused health-food company.
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.
2007Danone
Numico acquisition for ~$13.9 billion (EUR12.3 billion)
Danone acquires Dutch baby-food and medical nutrition group Royal Numico for about $13.9 billion (EUR12.3 billion) and sells its LU biscuit business to Kraft, creating today's Specialized Nutrition category (Aptamil, Nutrilon, Nutricia).
2017Danone
WhiteWave acquisition for about $12.5 billion
Danone completes its roughly USD12.5 billion (including debt) acquisition of WhiteWave Foods in April 2017, adding Silk, Alpro, So Delicious and Horizon Organic and becoming a global leader in plant-based foods.
2018General Mills
Blue Buffalo acquired
General Mills buys Blue Buffalo for about $8 billion, creating its pet segment.
2021Danone
Antoine de Saint-Affrique becomes CEO
Former Barry Callebaut CEO and Unilever executive Antoine de Saint-Affrique becomes CEO on September 15, 2021, after the board removed Emmanuel Faber in March 2021 under activist pressure.
2023Danone
EDP Russia exit and US organic dairy divestiture
Russia places Danone's local dairy business under temporary state management in July 2023; Danone deconsolidates it and agrees in 2023-2024 to sell it, while also selling U.S. organic dairy brands Horizon Organic and Wallaby to Platinum Equity.
2024Danone
Renew Danone delivers volume-led growth
Danone reports FY2024 sales of ~$30.9B (EUR27.376B), up 4.3% like-for-like, with recurring operating margin of 13.0% and free cash flow of ~$3.39B (EUR3.0B).
2025Danone
FY2025 Quality Growth and Global B Corp Certification
Danone reports FY2025 sales of ~$30.8B (EUR27.283B), 4.5% like-for-like growth, recurring operating margin of 13.4%, and worldwide B Corp certification.
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).
2026Danone
H1 2026 results and Huel acquisition
Danone reports H1 2026 sales of ~$15.7B (EUR13.936B) (+3.5% like-for-like) and a 13.3% recurring margin, and completes the acquisition of UK functional nutrition brand Huel in September 2026.
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
Danone
- Huel2026Undisclosed
- Kate Farms2025Undisclosed
- WhiteWave Foods Company2017$12.5B
- Royal Numico N.V.2007$12.3B
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 Danone vs General Mills
Who is the CEO of Danone S.A. and General Mills, Inc.?
Danone S.A. is led by Antoine de Saint-Affrique 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 Danone S.A. founded vs General Mills, Inc.?
General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 — 53 years before Danone S.A., 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 Danone S.A..
How many employees does Danone S.A. have compared to General Mills, Inc.?
Danone S.A. employs approximately 90,000 people, while General Mills, Inc. employs approximately 30,000. Danone S.A. has the larger workforce at 90,000 employees, compared to General Mills, Inc.'s 30,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Danone S.A. and General Mills, Inc. headquartered?
Danone S.A. is headquartered in France and General Mills, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Danone S.A. and General Mills, Inc.?
Danone S.A. was founded by Isaac Carasso. General Mills, Inc. was founded by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby.
Which company has a longer operating history — Danone S.A. or General Mills, Inc.?
General Mills, Inc. has been operating for approximately 160 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Danone S.A. 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 Danone vs General Mills overview