General Mills will strip artificial flavors and colors from the
remaining 40% of its cereals that still contain them, the latest
response by the food industry to changing customer preferences.
Chief Executive Jim Murphy said the company is listening to
consumers "who want to see more recognizable and familiar
ingredients on the labels" and plans to have more than 90% of its
cereals free of artificial flavors and colors by the end of next
year.
Trix and Reese's Puffs will be among the first of the remaining
brands to change, and updated versions will be available this
winter, the company said. General Mills aims to have all of its
cereals free of artificial flavors and colors by the end of
2017.
Other food makers have made similar moves recently as they look
to respond to a consumer shift toward foods seen as healthier and
more natural.
Last month, Yum Brands Inc. said its Taco Bell and Pizza Hut
restaurant chains would remove artificial colors and flavors;
Panera Bread Co. recently moved to cut at least 150 artificial
sweeteners, colors, flavors and preservatives from its menu by the
end of next year. McDonald's Corp. this year said it would stop
selling chicken products in the U.S. made from birds raised with
antibiotics that are important to human health, and Chipotle
Mexican Grill Inc. recently said it has finished removing
genetically modified ingredients from its foods.
Write to Lisa Beilfuss at lisa.beilfuss@wsj.com
Access Investor Kit for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US1696561059
Access Investor Kit for General Mills, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US3703341046
Access Investor Kit for McDonald's Corp.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US5801351017
Access Investor Kit for Panera Bread Co.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US69840W1080
Access Investor Kit for Yum! Brands, Inc.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US9884981013
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires