Certified colors
For nearly 160 years, General Mills’ focus has been clear: making food the world loves and doing the right thing, always. We’re proud of our brands, which we enjoy in our own homes, and we’re equally proud of the trust consumers place in us, which is well-founded.
We’re pleased to share details below on our work underway to remove certified colors from our portfolio.
Our beloved brands
The majority of General Mills’ portfolio today — about 85% — is made without certified colors. We are removing certified colors from all U.S. cereals by summer 2026. Additionally, General Mills will work to remove certified colors from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
Leading in schools
As the leader in school breakfast, we are focused on providing nutritious options kids want to eat. Currently, 98% of our K-12 school foods are already made without certified colors. By summer 2026, all our K-12 school foods will be made without certified colors.
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Plans to remove certified colors |
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| Portfolio | Date |
| All K-12 school foods | Summer 2026 |
| All U.S. cereals | Summer 2026 |
| All U.S. retail | End of 2027 |
“Across the long arc of our history, General Mills has moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs, and reformulating our product portfolio to remove certified colors is yet another example,” said Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO, General Mills. “Today, the vast majority of our foods are made without certified colors and we’re working to ensure that will soon apply to our full portfolio. Knowing the trust families place in us, we are leading the way on removing certified colors in cereals and K-12 foods by next summer. We’re committed to continuing to make food that tastes great and is accessible to all."
Q&A
Q: What are certified colors?
A: Certified colors, also known as synthetic color additives or Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) colors, are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in food.
Q: Tell us more about your plans to remove certified colors, and why now?
A: General Mills has a nearly 160-year history in food leadership, and we embrace the responsibility that comes with being a leader. We’re always watching what consumers are interested in and working to give them just that and more. Consumers have a high bar, as they should, and while we have more work to do, we are confident we can continue to meet expectations.
Q: What products are made without certified colors today?
A: Brands like Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cascadian Farm, Annie’s, Nature Valley, LÄRABAR and more are all already made without certified colors.
What you should know about General Mills
Natural and organic food leader.
Leading provider of whole grains to Americans.
Whole grain as the first ingredient in all Big G cereals.
Since 2019, reduced sodium by 20% across key categories.