General Mills vs Kellanova: Founders, CEOs and History
General Mills was founded in 1866 by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby and is led by Jeffrey Harmening. Kellanova was founded in 1906 by Will Keith Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg and is led by Andrew Clarke.
Company facts
General Mills
- Founded
- 1866
- Headquarters
- Golden Valley (Minneapolis), Minnesota
- Current CEO
- Jeffrey Harmening
- Employees
- 30,000
Kellanova
- Founded
- 1906
- Headquarters
- Chicago, Illinois
- Current CEO
- Andrew Clarke
- Employees
- 23,000
Founders
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.
Kellanova
Will Keith Kellogg
Kellanova (originally the Kellogg Company) possesses arguably the most bizarre, religious, and accidental founding story in American industrial history, rooted directly in an austere 19th-century health sanitarium and a bitter brotherly rivalry.
John Harvey Kellogg
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg is the tragic, eccentric figure whose pursuit of physical and spiritual purity inadvertently laid the groundwork for one of the most successful commercial food empires in history.
CEOs and their tenures
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
Kellanova
- John Bryant2011–2017
President and CEO of Kellogg Company
Led Kellogg Company (renamed Kellanova in 2023) from January 2011 until Steve Cahillane succeeded him on October 2, 2017.
Source - Steve Cahillane2017–2025
Former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Shifted Kellogg toward snacks and emerging markets and left after the Mars close. He became CEO of Kraft Heinz on January 1, 2026.
Source - Andrew Clarke2025–present
Global President, Mars Snacking (oversees Kellanova brands)
Leads the Mars Snacking business that absorbed Kellanova in December 2025, covering more than 145 markets and about 57,000 associates.
Source
Timeline: General Mills and Kellanova 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.
1894Kellanova
The Accidental Invention of the Flaked Cereal
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg accidentally discover the process for creating toasted wheat flakes when stale boiled wheat is run through the rollers at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, producing hundreds of individual, thin, delicious flakes that…
1906Kellanova
Founding of the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company
Following a bitter, irreparable feud with his brother over the commercialization and sweetening of the flake recipe, Will Keith Kellogg founds his own company, launching an aggressive marketing campaign to introduce the sugared corn flakes to the mass market,…
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.
1928Kellanova
Launch of Kellogg's Rice Krispies
The enterprise introduces Rice Krispies, featuring the well-known 'Snap, Crackle, and Pop' marketing campaign, which becomes one of the most successful and enduring cereal brands in history, demonstrating the company's mastery of flavor innovation and characte…
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.
1964Kellanova
Introduction of Pop-Tarts
The enterprise launches Pop-Tarts, an influential, shelf-stable, frosted fruit pastry that can be toasted, creating an entirely new category of convenient, on-the-go breakfast and snacking that becomes a high-margin cash cow for the 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.
2001Kellanova
Keebler Foods Acquisition
Kellogg acquired Keebler Foods, adding Cheez-It, Club and Town House crackers that later became core Kellanova snack brands.
2012Kellanova
Acquisition of the Pringles Business from P&G
Kellogg acquired the global Pringles business from Procter & Gamble for $2.695 billion in cash, roughly doubling its international snacks business.
2018General Mills
Blue Buffalo acquired
General Mills buys Blue Buffalo for about $8 billion, creating its pet segment.
2023Kellanova
WK Kellogg Co Spin-Off and Kellanova Name
On October 2, 2023, Kellogg Company spun off its North American cereal business as WK Kellogg Co and renamed itself Kellanova.
2024Kellanova
Mars Agrees to Buy Kellanova
On August 14, 2024, Mars agreed to acquire Kellanova for $83.50 per share in cash, about $35.9 billion. Shareholders approved the deal on November 1, 2024.
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).
2025Kellanova
Mars Completes Acquisition of Kellanova
Mars completed its acquisition of Kellanova on December 11, 2025, integrating Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR, Rice Krispies Treats, and Kellogg's international cereal brands into Mars Snacking.
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
General Mills
- Whitebridge Pet Brands2025$1.4B
- Tyson Foods pet treats business2022$1.2B
- Blue Buffalo2018$8B
- Annie's Homegrown2014$820M
- Pillsbury2001$10.5B
Kellanova
- RXBAR (Chicago Bar Company)2017$600M
- Pringles Global Business (from P&G)2012$2.7B
- Keebler Foods2001Undisclosed
- Kashi2000Undisclosed
Questions about General Mills vs Kellanova
Who is the CEO of General Mills, Inc. and Kellanova?
General Mills, Inc. is led by Jeffrey Harmening and Kellanova is led by Andrew Clarke. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was General Mills, Inc. founded vs Kellanova?
General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 — 40 years before Kellanova, which was founded in 1906. General Mills, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Kellanova.
How many employees does General Mills, Inc. have compared to Kellanova?
General Mills, Inc. employs approximately 30,000 people, while Kellanova employs approximately 23,000. General Mills, Inc. has the larger workforce at 30,000 employees, compared to Kellanova's 23,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are General Mills, Inc. and Kellanova headquartered?
Both General Mills, Inc. and Kellanova are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded General Mills, Inc. and Kellanova?
General Mills, Inc. was founded by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby. Kellanova was founded by Will Keith Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg.
Which company has a longer operating history — General Mills, Inc. or Kellanova?
General Mills, Inc. has been operating for approximately 160 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Kellanova has been in operation for around 120 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 General Mills vs Kellanova overview