By: Sandra Ramirez

Company Overview• Headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.• Incorporated in 1928• 79 manufacturing locations, 49 in U.S.• Social Involvement, leadership development, health concerns• Consistent dividends• Longevity & Well- recognized brands, trust, loyalty• Large variety of products• Stable position, little stock volatility• Not too much bad press• High commodity prices in the food industry (grains, oats, etc.)• Many recognitions/awards• High debt, debt financing through bond issuances• Accounts receivable growth is greater than revenue growth

(happens through acquisitions: Yoplait)

Products Offered• Product mix includes: baking products, dough/pastries, fruit, cereals, ice cream, meals,

organic/natural, pasta, pizza, snacks, soups, vegetables, and yogurt.

• The cereal product line includes the company's Big G cereals, which are: Cheerios, FiberOne, Chex, Lucky Charms, Wheaties, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Total Raisin Bran, Kix, Honey Nut Clusters, Count Chocula, Trix, Whole Grain Total, Cookie Crisp, Golden Grahams, etc.

• Another product line would be soups, which include: Progresso and Muir Glen. And one last example would be its' vegetables product line including: Green Giant, Cascadian Farm, and Muir Glen

• Wiki link: http://generalmills-mgt111hn1project.wikispaces.com/Product+%26+Services

Cash Cows Star Products Failed Products

Products in questions

• Cheerios• Chex• Wheaties• (Big G

Cereals)

• Progresso Soup• Green Giant

vegetables• Yoplait yogurt• Betty Crocker• Haagen Dazs

• Basketball-shaped cereal, “Dunk-A-Balls”

• Home bread mixes

• Organic products

• Ready-to-eat meals

Market Positioning• Sector: Consumer Goods• Industry: Processed & Packaged Goods

• Major competitors: Kellogg’s, Kraft, ConAgra Foods, Danone, Campbell Soup, Seneca Food Corporation

• Ranks real high in the industry because…• Top #1 selling cereals• Stable operations• Shareholders trust• High value to market• Products essential to everyday life• No matter what, people need to eat

• Shows ranking based on different criteria• http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/ll/342qpm.html

Comparison showing General Mills being about 7.86% of the total industry market cap

Profitability

• Income Statement

Trending of Stock Prices

• Started off low• Stock price and volume increased when quarterly earnings report

was released, results better than expected • For the most part, stock price remained stable between $37-$39• Volume ranged from 2 million to the highest of 11 million; mostly

stayed within 3-4 million • Right now, reached $40

• When market almost went into a bear market, GIS remained stable along with other food processing competitors

• No high volatility; consumers always need food• Do well even during hard economic times

Current Business Issues

• Dealing with the high commodity costs

• Expanding in online marketing/promotions

• Reduce sugar grams in its’ products

• Lower its’ debt • Competition from store brands: not advertised, but

cheaper

Recommendations for Business Improvement• Further research to compete against Kellogg’s and ConAgra Foods• Change all factories to biomass-powered energy source; be more

environmentally sustainable• Keep technology up to date• Increase in promotions and online marketing• Increase in targeting older generation

• Make sure demand for products does not outpace their production capacity

• Control their expansion, focus on long-range planning• Expanding their over dependence on the U.S. market to other

countries. • Hire new personnel to meet demands associated with new

production and new marketing campaigns