MINNEAPOLIS, June 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- General Mills
Cereals has committed to removing artificial flavors and colors
from artificial sources from the rest of its cereals in response to
consumers' changing preferences. Today, more than 60 percent
of General Mills Cereals like
Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Original Cheerios are already without
artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources and have been
that way for a long time.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7557051-general-mills-cereals-artificial-free/
According to a survey conducted by Nielsen on behalf of
General Mills, 49 percent of households are making an effort to
avoid artificial flavors and colors from artificial
sources.[1] To respond to this growing need,
General Mills Cereals will be using
more recognizable, familiar ingredients to create its colors and
flavors.
"At General Mills Cereals, we
have been upgrading the nutrition and ingredients in our cereals
for years to meet people's needs and desires," said Jim Murphy, president of the General Mills
cereal division. "We've continued to listen to consumers who want
to see more recognizable and familiar ingredients on the labels and
challenged ourselves to remove barriers that prevent adults and
children from enjoying our cereals."
General Mills Cereals plans to
have more than 90 percent of the portfolio free of artificial
flavors and colors from artificial sources by the end of 2016.
Cereal lover favorites including Trix and Reese's Puffs will
be among the first of the remaining brands to change. Trix
will now use ingredients like fruit and vegetable juices and spice
extracts such as turmeric and annatto to achieve the fun red,
yellow, orange and purple colors. Reese's Puffs will continue to
use peanut butter and cocoa and incorporate natural vanilla flavor
to achieve the same great taste that adults and children have
always enjoyed. Consumers can expect to see the updated Trix
and Reese's Puffs cereals on store shelves this winter.
"We have a lot of hard work ahead of us and we know some
products will present challenges as we strive to uphold the taste,
quality and fun in every spoonful of cereal," acknowledged
Kate Gallager, General Mills cereal
developer. "Cereals that contain marshmallows, like Lucky Charms,
may take longer, but we are committed to finding a way to keep the
magically delicious taste as we work to take out the artificial
flavors and colors from artificial sources."
The General Mills Cereal Journey:
- In the 1930s, General Mills began fortifying Kix cereal with
some B vitamins, as well as vitamin D and minerals.
- In 2005, General Mills converted the entire line of Big G
cereals to include at least eight grams of whole grain per serving.
Today whole grains is the first ingredient in all General Mills Big
G Cereals, delivering 37.5 million whole grain servings per day – a
50 percent increase since 2004.
- Since 2007, General Mills lowered sugar levels in kid cereals
by more than 16 percent on average.
- As of January 2011, all General
Mills Cereals advertised to kids
have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving.
- By the end of 2017, the goal is to have all General
Mills Cereals free from artificial
flavors and colors from artificial sources.
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, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General
Mills had fiscal 2014 worldwide sales of US $17.9 billion.
[1] Based on an online survey conducted by Nielsen on behalf of
General Mills from 8/18-9/8/14 among
a national sample of 31,375 Nielsen Homescan Panel
households.
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-mills-cereals-removing-artificial-flavors-and-colors-from-artificial-sources-300102489.html
SOURCE General Mills Cereals