NEW YORK (AP) – General Mills hopes a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of fiber will be a recipe for stronger sales.
The Minneapolis-based company is doing things like adding more cinnamon to its Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and rolling out fiber-packed “better for you” cookies to boost the performance of its brands, which include Pillsbury doughs, Betty Crocker baking mixes and Progresso soups.
General Mills executives sat down with The Associated Press this week to discuss these and other ways the company is trying to increase sales, which were essentially flat in its last fiscal year.
The company, which last month announced a cost-cutting plan that will include a review of its manufacturing plants, is working to adapt its offerings as it grapples with the changing eating habits of Americans.
The surging popularity of Greek yogurt in recent years, for instance, blindsided the company’s Yoplait yogurts. And the move toward foods people are fresher has hurt Hamburger Helper, which last year was renamed “Helper” in a nod to people who might prefer chicken.