Our History

Space Patrol Trading Cards

In 1954, Wheat Chex had 40 exciting, full-color pictures of Space Heroes, Rockets, Jets, Stars and Planets! 

Fruit Roll-Ups, a Great New Snack

In 1979, Fruit Roll-Ups went into the test markets with flavors like apple, cherry, apricot and strawberry. 

1950s Recipes for Tacos

In the 1950s, a family could enjoy a real Mexican dinner at home with these taco recipes from Old El Paso. 

Pizza in a Toaster?

Pizzaburger Toastwiches hit the market in 1973. They were a pizza sandwich right from your toaster. However, the product didn’t take off and they were discontinued just six months later.  

Our Oldest Cookbooks

Maria Parloa’s “Miss Parloa’s New Cook Book” was the first cookbook distributed by Washburn, Crosby Co., in 1880. It included recipes for “Saddle of Venison, which told readers to “Carefully scrape off the hair and wipe with a damp towel…” Learn about our five oldest cookbooks, on “A Taste of General Mills.”

We’re 150!

From the moment he saw Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, in the 1850s, Cadwallader Washburn dreamed of building a flour mill there. His first mill opened in 1866, and was nicknamed “Washburn’s Folly” for its stunning size and cost. But that mill started a successful company that still exists today! Learn about our early history in our latest podcast on “A Taste of General Mills.”