General Mills is one of the leading food companies in the world with a rich history that dates back to 1866 when Cadwallader Washburn built the Washburn “A” Mill in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company officially became General Mills in 1928 after the merger of four milling companies. Over the years, General Mills has evolved significantly by expanding its product lines and acquiring other companies like Pillsbury.
Today, its product line has more than 100 brands. This evolution is reflected in the changes to its logo, which has become an iconic symbol of the brand. The article explores the various logo changes of General Mills over the years.
The Genesis of the General Mills Logo (1928 – 1949)
The first General Mills logo featured a blue ring with an orange pattern inside it. The wheat ears converged on a smaller circle at the centre wherein the letters “G,” “M,” and “I” were arranged artistically. The full name of the company in the title case was written in the top section of the periphery of the circle in blue. At the bottom of the circle were displayed two wheat ears in orange. This design symbolised the company’s roots in flour milling and its connection to agriculture.
(1949 – 1956)
In 1949, General Mills introduced a logo that featured a left tilted blue flag with a yellow fringe and tip on a black pole. The flag’s centre included a simplified version of the previous emblem, but now in yellow instead of orange. The full name of the company was mentioned in the lower part of the flag. This design marked a shift towards a more modern and dynamic visual identity.
(1956 – 1959)
As television became a dominant medium, General Mills adopted a logo featuring a blue rectangle with rounded corners and a thick yellow frame. At the centre of this blue rectangle was written the company’s wordmark in two levels in a white bold sans-serif typeface. The top word “General” was rendered in a smaller size compared to the much bigger “Mills” below. Besides, the top of the letter “I” had an overly large yellow dot. This design was simpler and more suited to the era of television advertising.
(1959 – Today)
In 1959, General Mills introduced the iconic “Big G” logo, which was a stylised, handwritten letter “G.” The same has remained a core element of the brand’s identity ever since. Over the years, this logo has undergone several variations, which include changes in colour and typography.
(1959 – 1969)
In this logo iteration, the Big G emblem had the brand name written on either side of it in black— “General” to the left and “Mills” to the right. Designed by Lippincott & Margulies, the playful typography used to write the wordmark is customised. Besides, two thin red lines emanating from either side of the emblem converged below at an angle.
(1969 – 1971)
During this period, the logo was simplified by removing the red lines and adopting a sans-serif font in uppercase for the company name on either side of the Big G emblem. This design aimed to make the logo more modern and streamlined.
(1970 – 1989)
The company reintroduced the red lines in a bolder form and began using the title case to depict the brand name in black. This change added a dynamic touch to the logo.
(1989 – 2003)
General Mills shifted to a softer turquoise colour scheme for both the emblem and the wordmark. The sans-serif font became slimmer and more contemporary.
(1999 – 2001)
In the 1999 logo variant, the brand name in a bold blue sans-serif typeface was placed in the title case below the Big G emblem in blue.
(2001 – 2002)
The 2001 logo iteration did not feature the Big G emblem but the brand name in gold with adequate spacing between letters. The brand name was rendered in a bold, italic, sans-serif typeface.
(2002 – 2004)
In 2002, the brand name was rendered in thin, blue capital letters.
(2003 – 2017)
The company returned to a darker blue shade and reintroduced the Big G emblem. It maintained a consistent visual identity while embracing modernity.
(2004 – 2017)
In this logo iteration, the Big G emblem was given a navy-blue colour, similar to the Pillsbury emblem, which the company had acquired. It was followed by a line of 24 dots underneath, also taken from the Pillsbury emblem. At the bottom was mentioned the General Mills wordmark in a light blue colour. In addition to this logo, there were two more in horizontal and vertical lockups as shown below.
(Horizontal Lookup)
(Vertical Lookup)
(2017 – Present)
In 2017, General Mills introduced its sixth official logo, which featured the iconic “Big G” emblem with the image of a red heart above it. Here, the wordmark in a Gotham Bold typeface was rendered in the same shade of blue as the Big G emblem. This design emphasises love and care and reflects the commitment of the company towards making food that people love. The logo includes the tagline “Making Food People Love,” which reinforces the brand’s mission.
The Elements of the General Mills Logo
Font
The primary badge of General Mills features a bold, stable title-case wordmark in a heavy Gotham Bold typeface with clean, well-defined contours. The font closely resembles Avenir Pro 95 Black or Acherus Feral Black.
Colour
The General Mills visual identity utilises a strong and striking colour palette of blue and red, set against a white background. This classic tricolour scheme—blue, red, and white—symbolises professionalism, nobility, freedom, and trustworthiness.
The History of General Mills
General Mills is an American multinational food company with a rich history that dates back to the 19th century. The company was officially founded in 1928, but its origins can be traced back to the Minneapolis Milling Company, which was established in 1856 by Robert Smith. In 1866, Cadwallader C. Washburn founded the Washburn-Crosby Company, which later merged with several other mills to form General Mills.
One of the earliest successes of the company was the introduction of Gold Medal Flour in 1880, which became a household staple. Over the decades, General Mills expanded its product line beyond flour milling and ventured into producing breakfast cereals, snacks, frozen foods, and more. The company introduced iconic brands such as Cheerios (1941), Betty Crocker (1921), and Pillsbury (acquired in 2001).
During the Second World War, General Mills contributed to the war effort by developing food products for soldiers and even working on military technology, which included the Norden bombsight, a targeting tool for bombers. After the war, the company continued to diversify and expanded into the toy industry with Play-Doh and Parker Brothers (makers of Monopoly). However, later, it refocused entirely on food production.
Today, General Mills is one of the largest food manufacturers in the world, with a diverse portfolio of brands including Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, and Annie’s. The company continues to evolve, emphasising health-conscious and sustainable food options while maintaining its legacy as a household name in the food industry.
Interesting Facts About General Mills
- While General Mills was officially founded in 1928, its roots can be traced back to the Washburn-Crosby Company, which was a major flour milling business in the 19th century.
- General Mills’ Gold Medal Flour, which was introduced in 1880, is one of the company’s oldest products and is still sold today. The name was given to the flour after it won a gold medal at the first Millers’ International Exhibition.
- Betty Crocker, one of the most famous household names in baking, was created in 1921 as a marketing persona. Over the years, her signature and image have evolved, but she remains a symbol of home baking.
- Introduced in 1941, Cheerios was a groundbreaking cereal because it was the first ready-to-eat oat cereal that didn’t float when mixed with milk. It was originally called “Cheerioats,” and the name was later shortened to “Cheerios.”
- Beyond food production, General Mills contributed to military efforts in the Second World War. These include developing the Norden bombsight, a crucial targeting tool for bombers.
- General Mills even owned toy companies like Kenner (which made Star Wars action figures) and Parker Brothers (makers of Monopoly). However, the company sold these divisions to focus on food.
- General Mills played a role in creating food for NASA astronauts, thereby contributing to the development of space-friendly meals.
- General Mills acquired Pillsbury in 2001 and brought the beloved Pillsbury Doughboy (“Poppin’ Fresh”) under its umbrella. The character was introduced in 1965 and remains an icon of pop culture.
- Although Häagen-Dazs was founded in New York, General Mills owns the international business division of the brand. The U.S. and Canada divisions are handled by Nestle.
- General Mills has been actively working on sustainability efforts, such as regenerative agriculture, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving food packaging to be more eco-friendly.
- From cereals to space food, General Mills has had a surprising and diverse impact on both the food industry and beyond!
Finally
The General Mills logo and its various iterations reflect the journey of the company from its humble beginnings as a flour mill to its current status as a global food leader. Each iteration of the logo has captured the essence of the brand’s values and innovations. It ensures that General Mills remains recognisable and loved by consumers worldwide.