General Mills vs Kraft Heinz: Founders, CEOs and History
General Mills was founded in 1866 by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby and is led by Jeffrey Harmening. Kraft Heinz was founded in 2015 by James L. Kraft, H. J. Heinz and is led by Steve Cahillane.
Company facts
General Mills
- Founded
- 1866
- Headquarters
- Golden Valley (Minneapolis), Minnesota
- Current CEO
- Jeffrey Harmening
- Employees
- 30,000
Kraft Heinz
- Founded
- 2015
- Headquarters
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Chicago, Illinois
- Current CEO
- Steve Cahillane
- Employees
- 35,000
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.
Kraft Heinz
James L. Kraft
Kraft Heinz possesses a profound, dualistic founding story, representing the historic amalgamation of two well-known, innovative 19th-century food pioneers who essentially invented modern, mass-produced convenience foods.
H. J. Heinz
Henry John Heinz was an American entrepreneur who founded the H.J. Heinz Company in 1869. Starting with a small bottling operation for horseradish in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, Heinz built a food empire based on a commitment to quality and transparency.
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
Kraft Heinz
- Bernardo Hees2015–2019
Chief Executive Officer
Delivered early margin gains, but the 2019 impairment and SEC investigation came under his leadership and he was replaced in June 2019.
Source - Miguel Patricio2019–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Stabilized the balance sheet and moved the company away from strict zero-based budgeting; he later served as board chair.
Source - Carlos Abrams-Rivera2024–2025
Chief Executive Officer
Managed the business through continuing volume declines and the 2025 impairments before handing over to Steve Cahillane.
Source - Steve Cahillane2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Shifted the company's priority from structural change to rebuilding volume in its core brands; first-half 2026 sales declines narrowed and 2026 guidance was raised.
Source
Timeline: General Mills and Kraft Heinz 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.
1869Kraft Heinz
H.J. Heinz Begins Bottling Horseradish
Henry John Heinz starts bottling horseradish in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, using clear glass bottles to demonstrate product purity, establishing the foundation for the Heinz brand.
1876Kraft Heinz
Introduction of Heinz Tomato Ketchup
The Heinz company introduces its well-known tomato ketchup, which becomes the foundation of the company's global success and the most recognized condiment brand in the world.
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.
1903Kraft Heinz
James L. Kraft Starts Cheese Business
James L. Kraft starts a wholesale cheese business in Chicago with a horse and wagon, laying the groundwork for what would become the Kraft Foods empire.
1915Kraft Heinz
Kraft Develops Pasteurized Cheese Process
Kraft develops a pasteurization process that allows cheese to be packaged and shipped without spoiling, leading to contracts with the US military during World War I.
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.
1937Kraft Heinz
Introduction of Kraft Dinner
Kraft introduces Kraft Dinner (Macaroni & Cheese), a product that becomes a staple of the American diet during the Great Depression and World War II due to its affordability and long shelf life.
1941General Mills
Cheerios launched
CheeriOats debuts and is renamed Cheerios in 1945, becoming one of the best-selling U.S. cereals.
1959Kraft Heinz
Introduction of Kraft Singles
Kraft introduces Kraft Singles, individually wrapped processed cheese slices that become one of the best-selling cheese products in the United States.
1988Kraft Heinz
Philip Morris Acquires Kraft
Philip Morris Companies acquires Kraft for $12.9 billion, one of the largest corporate acquisitions in history at the time, marking the beginning of a new era of consolidation 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.
2010Kraft Heinz
Kraft Acquires Cadbury
Kraft Foods acquires the British confectionery giant Cadbury for $19.6 billion, significantly expanding its global snack and confectionery portfolio before spinning off its North American grocery business in 2012.
2015Kraft Heinz
Merger of Kraft and Heinz
Kraft Foods Group merges with H.J. Heinz Holding Corporation, owned by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, on July 2, 2015.
2018General Mills
Blue Buffalo acquired
General Mills buys Blue Buffalo for about $8 billion, creating its pet segment.
2019Kraft Heinz
$15.4 Billion Impairment and SEC Probe
Kraft Heinz records a $15.4 billion impairment of Kraft and Oscar Mayer brand and goodwill values, cuts its dividend, and discloses an SEC subpoena over procurement accounting. The SEC case was settled in 2021 with a $62 million penalty.
2020Kraft Heinz
Divestiture of Natural Cheese Business
Kraft Heinz agrees to sell most of its natural cheese business to Lactalis for about $3.2 billion; the deal closed in 2021, the same year Planters was sold to Hormel for $3.35 billion.
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).
2025Kraft Heinz
FY2025 Net Sales Fall to $24.942 Billion
Kraft Heinz reported $24.942 billion in FY2025 net sales, a $4.669 billion operating loss, a $5.846 billion net loss, and about 35,000 employees after non-cash impairment losses weighed on results.
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.
2026Kraft Heinz
Steve Cahillane Appointed CEO
Steve Cahillane becomes CEO on January 1, 2026. In February he pauses the planned separation into two companies and commits about $600 million of extra investment, raised to about $700 million in August 2026.
2026Kraft Heinz
Q2 2026 Beat and $7.4 Billion Impairment
Q2 2026 net sales fall 1.4% to $6.262 billion, beating forecasts; Kraft Heinz raises its 2026 organic sales outlook but records a $7.4 billion non-cash impairment.
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
Kraft Heinz
- The Kraft Heinz Not Company (joint venture with NotCo)2022Undisclosed
- Assan Foods2021$100M
- Companhia Hemmer2021Undisclosed
- Cerebos Pacific (Australia and New Zealand sauces and condiments)2018Undisclosed
- Kraft Foods Group (merger with H.J. Heinz)2015Undisclosed
Questions about General Mills vs Kraft Heinz
Who is the CEO of General Mills, Inc. and The Kraft Heinz Company?
General Mills, Inc. is led by Jeffrey Harmening and The Kraft Heinz Company is led by Steve Cahillane. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was General Mills, Inc. founded vs The Kraft Heinz Company?
General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 — 149 years before The Kraft Heinz Company, which was founded in 2015. General Mills, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger The Kraft Heinz Company.
How many employees does General Mills, Inc. have compared to The Kraft Heinz Company?
General Mills, Inc. employs approximately 30,000 people, while The Kraft Heinz Company employs approximately 35,000. The Kraft Heinz Company has the larger workforce at 35,000 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 General Mills, Inc. and The Kraft Heinz Company headquartered?
Both General Mills, Inc. and The Kraft Heinz Company are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded General Mills, Inc. and The Kraft Heinz Company?
General Mills, Inc. was founded by Cadwallader C. Washburn, John Crosby. The Kraft Heinz Company was founded by James L. Kraft, H. J. Heinz.
Which company has a longer operating history — General Mills, Inc. or The Kraft Heinz Company?
General Mills, Inc. has been operating for approximately 160 years, making it the more established of the two companies. The Kraft Heinz Company has been in operation for around 11 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 Kraft Heinz overview