Starting from the ground up
When former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, reached out to General Mills asking for help to improve the safety, quality, and availability of food in Africa, a team of dedicated employees quickly volunteered to help find a solution.
After many email exchanges with African businesses and hours of research, the team made a key realization: many of the challenges the food processors experienced mirrored similar challenges General Mills faced throughout its history. From completing food safety certifications to product development, General Mills had more than a century of experience it could share – even from thousands of miles away.
“The corporate culture of General Mills is one of always giving back to the community,” said Jeff Harmening, Chairman and CEO, General Mills. “Whether that is in Minneapolis or whether that is in Africa, people have always wanted to give back. But also, we have an expertise in food – we make food the world loves – and that is how Partners in Food Solutions got started here.”
