Innovation
From flour to submarines, from toys to restaurants, General Mills has been delivering innovation to make a difference in people's lives since 1866.
Today, innovation drives all areas of our business. Whether we're adding benefits to food or finding new ways to reach people, innovation at General Mills is about connecting people inside the company and across the globe to imagine new possibilities and create solutions.
While General Mills is known for breakthroughs in food technology, our rich history of innovation goes beyond the grocery aisle to include philanthropic initiatives, the creation of popular advertising icons, and even the development of ALVIN, a deep sea submarine.
Working with NASA
When NASA astronaut Scott Carpenter launched into space on Aurora 7 in 1962, he carried the first solid space food – small cubes developed by The Pillsbury Company’s research and development department. General Mills acquired The Pillsbury Company in 2001.
We also developed the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) process, which is the food safety standard used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
And working with the University of Minnesota in the 1950s, we developed the Ryan flight recorder, which evolved into the “black box” found on every commercial airliner today.
That proved to be a historic partnership, and today we still welcome such partnerships in these areas:
