Our History

Biggest Stock of Flour

South Dakota really knew how to show off Gold Medal Flour in this 1920s store display. 

Historic Party

We celebrated our 150th birthday this past Friday, on the Minneapolis riverfront where our predecessor company got its start. Employees and their families, and community partners, gathered together for food and fun. And even had access to the Mill City Museum (shown here) in the fire-damaged Washburn A Mill. See more photos on “A Taste of General Mills.”

Flour Sack Assembly Line

This collage, created for The Eventually News - a newsletter for Washburn Crosby employees - depicted the hard work behind the making of flour sacks in December 1920.

Speed Delivery with Gold Medal Trucks

In the early 1920s, the Washburn Crosby Company began to use trucks like this one for flour delivery work. In addition to being an effective delivery method, the trucks became on-the-go advertisements for the company. 

Early Advertising

Trade cards such as this were a popular form of advertising in the early 1900s. This card from the Washburn Crosby Co. says the company’s flour was the “Best in the World." 

Early Rivals: Pillsbury vs. Washburn Crosby

The Pillsbury Company and the Washburn Crosby Company were rivals in and out of the flour milling business before coming together more than 100 years later. Here, Alfred Pillsbury and James Ford Bell, among others, are pictured after a friendly race at the Lafayette Club in 1900.