StarTribune.com | User comments

For General Mills, a year of ups and downs

Article by: MIKE HUGHLETT , Star Tribune
Updated: February 16, 2013 - 10:37 PM

Even as some of its businesses are soaring, the company is scrambling to correct missteps in other key areas.

8
Comments

Newest first
Oldest first

1 - 8 of 8

edinawaterFeb. 16, 13 4:01 PM

Big businesses have teams of lobbyists quietly pushing their agenda to politicians, but publicly announcing a position on a controversial topic that upsets 40% of their customers probably didn't help their bottom line any.

dmay88Feb. 16, 13 9:33 PM

There was a time when the only cereal I bought was Cheerios. I have not purchased a single box in a year now. Have moved on to other options with no intention of going back to the cereal I ate for nearly 60 years.

justamom41Feb. 17, 13 8:02 AM

For a major corporation that has depended on families for its success, siding with those who proposed to redefine its basis was a real blunder. Overpriced products no doubt hurt their bottom line in a weak consumer market, but entering the political fray against their own consumer base was idiotic.

emlx1Feb. 17, 13 9:45 AM

General Mills Pretends to be a nice company, but in fact is a major consumer manipulator, in the same boat as McDonald's. They worked with lobbists to get pizza classified as a vegetable under USDA guidelines, in order to feed school kids their unhealthy Totino's pizzas. They are the largest sugar importer in the world, and all their "healthy" foods have tons of sugar in them. There Yoplait yogurt is "fat-free", but they don't tell you about the unhealthy amounts of sugar that Is in there. They are popsicles disguised as yogart. People like Chobani, because it's all natural and not loaded with sugar like Yoplait yogurt. Follow the lawsuits and you will see the truth about General Mills.

davemn55Feb. 17, 1311:25 AM

Powell can say what he wants but the marriage amendment issue has really hurt them. Really dumb move.

callmeronFeb. 17, 13 1:36 PM

If General Mills was smart they would move from Minnesota to get away from Mark Dayton. Maybe I should email Mark Dayton and ask him to consider a massive tax on prepared breakfast cereals and other products made by General Mills. I bet Marky would go for it. Then he'd have more money to give welfare recipients to buy votes ahead of the next election.

notforjoeighFeb. 17, 13 2:10 PM

When I shop I look for the Big G. And then purchase a competors product. They made a choice to support gay marriage. I made a choice not to by General Mills products.

davemn55Feb. 17, 13 5:34 PM

Its not against the law to lobby for their business. They are a public company that produces food that people want. Sounds like good business to me. Thay all do it. If you like something else then buy it.