301 INC, General Mills New Business Development and Venturing Unit, to Invest in and Grow Emerging Food Brands

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Oct 22, 2015, 09:05 ET

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 301 INC, the new business development and venturing unit within General Mills, today announced a new strategy focused on building partnerships with emerging food brands to create breakthrough innovation in the food space. Through 301 INC, entrepreneurs and early stage food companies will have access to capital and the deep knowledge and expertise of General Mills to develop, grow and expand their businesses.

General Mills is one of the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2015 worldwide sales of US $18.7 billion, including the company's US $1.1 billion proportionate share of joint-venture net sales.

"The rapidly evolving consumer landscape is dramatically changing the game in the food industry," said John Haugen, vice president and general manager of 301 INC. "Tremendous opportunity exists outside of General Mills to partner with and foster emerging food brands."

"Through these partnerships we will help entrepreneurs scale their vision by providing them with a combination of capital and the capabilities that General Mills has built over the past 150 years in the food industry."

301 INC, which takes its name from the address of the original Pillsbury A Mill in Minneapolis, is seeking businesses that have demonstrated early success in the marketplace, have a remarkable product offering and a strong, expandable brand.

Originally cast as a new business development team by General Mills in 2012, 301 INC was charged with developing and launching new business models to generate growth for General Mills. This team worked as entrepreneurs within the walls of General Mills, bringing to market disruptive products including Progresso and Nature Valley Bistro Cups, the first food products made with a single cup coffee brewer, Pillsbury Pancake Batter, a novel innovation that put pancakes in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and nibblr, a customizable subscription-based snack delivery service.

"Under our previous model, we were primarily building our own businesses from the ground up," said Haugen. "That experience was invaluable and has given us significant insights into the challenges small, emerging businesses face in the marketplace. It has helped us to more clearly define the role 301 INC can play moving forward. We believe we can meet consumer needs faster than ever by combining the vision and passion of entrepreneurs with General Mills extensive capabilities."

The 301 INC team has a combined 185 years of industry experience with expertise across supply chain, sales, finance and marketing for General Mills' extensive portfolio of more than 25 product categories ranging from cereal and yogurt to snacks and meals.

For more information or to contact a member of the 301 INC team, entrepreneurs can visit www.301inc.com.

About General Mills
General Mills is one of the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2015 worldwide sales of US $18.7 billion, including the company's US $1.1 billion proportionate share of joint-venture net sales.

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SOURCE General Mills