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Food manufacturers and retailers are reformulating cereals, drinks, and other products to remove certified synthetic colors, prompting new package claims and possible shade changes and price impacts, according to grocery analyst Phil Lempert and Circana. Target requires “made without” certified synthetic colors for cereals, and Sam’s Club and Aldi set similar private-label standards. Companies including Kraft Heinz, General Mills, and PepsiCo are testing or launching dye-free products; Circana r

General Mills’ North America Retail business is targeting a return to organic sales growth through pricing, product innovation, and marketing changes, according to COO Dana McNabb. NAR organic sales were down 4% in fiscal 2026 Q3 ended Feb. 22, but base volume improved and household penetration returned. The company plans meaningful innovation across its eight billion-dollar brands and highlighted Totino’s and Blue Buffalo as lagging.

General Mills shares fell about 3.1% since its last earnings report, underperforming the S&P 500. In fiscal Q4, adjusted earnings were 95 cents per share, above the Zacks estimate of 82 cents, with net sales up 1% to $4,609.6 million. For fiscal 2027, the company expects organic net sales of -1.5% to +0.5% and adjusted EPS of $3.00 to $3.20, while consensus estimates have declined about 10.82%.

The article says slowing volume growth and budget pressure are pushing CPG firms to shift from product-focused innovation to brand “platform” strategies. It highlights The Hershey Co. expanding Reese’s into new formats and better-for-you items, General Mills investing in protein and a Remarkable Experiences framework while targeting $3 billion in savings, and Kellanova pursuing dual functional plus sensory snack innovation.

General Mills, ADM and Walmart announced a regenerative agriculture partnership covering 40,000 Midwest wheat acres, where ADM supplies wheat for General Mills products sold at Walmart and Sam’s Club. The program will use technical assistance and incentives to support practices like no-till and cover crops, targeting soil health, water quality and carbon sequestration. General Mills aims for 1 million acres by 2030.

General Mills recalled two frozen Pillsbury bread roll dough products supplied to Walmart in-store bakeries in 19 states after an FDA enforcement report said the items may contain glass fragments. The recall covers about 735,840 rolls across two lot/UPC groups. No injuries were reported. FDA classified both as Class II on July 13; General Mills said product was removed.

General Mills partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to launch Harry Potter-themed baking mixes under Pillsbury and Betty Crocker. Products include Golden Snitch shape cookies, a Chocolate Frog truffle kit with collectible molds, Hogwarts House pumpkin cakes with themed liners, and Forbidden Forest chocolate cakes with toppers. Sales begin in US retailers in July.

A petition organized by Friends of the Earth U.S. and Beyond Pesticides asks General Mills to exclude HB4 GMO wheat from its products. HB4, engineered for drought tolerance and glufosinate ammonium resistance, was approved for US food and feed in 2022 and cultivation in 2024. The petition cites concerns about glufosinate and notes HB4 is not approved in Europe.

General Mills said it is reviving its Monsters Cereals line for the 55th anniversary, bringing back Count Chocula, Boo Berry, and Franken Berry earlier in the fall with limited-edition boxes featuring puppet-style characters from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. A special textured Franken Berry box will be sold exclusively on Walmart.com for $7.76 starting Oct. 1, with other boxes in retailers later in the month.

General Mills appointed Anjali Singh as Head of Global Business Solutions and Site Lead for the company’s India Center. She will lead the global business solutions function while overseeing India Center operations. General Mills said Singh has over 25 years of experience and previously worked at Ericsson as Global Business Head.