MINNEAPOLIS, July 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- General Mills is tapping into the latest consumer-driven food trends with its new lineup of product innovation launching this summer. Cheerios Protein cereal, LARABAR RENOLA grain free granola, Chex Gluten Free Oatmeal, nacho cheese blasted Old El Paso taco shells, Suddenly Salad made with whole grains, indulgent Pillsbury Melts filled cookies and Haagen-Dazs Triple Sensations ice cream are among the more than 150 new products appearing across the U.S. and around the world.

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General Mills offers an overview of new products in its new product look book, available on the General Mills corporate blog, A Taste of General Mills.

"Everything we do starts with the consumer in mind, and in Fiscal 2015 we're applying this consumer first mindset across our portfolio," said Ken Powell, General Mills Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Through a deep understanding of our consumers - what foods they like, where they shop and how they like to cook - we are rapidly addressing their needs with products that offer relevant health news, increased convenience, superior taste and product quality."

Powell and other General Mills executives will discuss the company's innovation-fueled plans for growth for Fiscal 2015 at its investor day event at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, July 8. A webcast of the company's Investor Day presentation will be available in the Investor section of GeneralMills.com.

Consumer Trends Fueling Innovation

The newest lineup of products from General Mills builds upon another strong year for innovation. New items launched in Fiscal 2014 drove nearly 5 percent of the company's net sales in U.S. Retail according to A.C. Nielsen. In addition, eleven General Mills products - including Yoplait Greek 100, Fiber One Protein Bars, Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch and Green Giant Frozen Steamers - were ranked among the top-selling 100 new food products of 2013, according to Information Resources Inc.'s (IRI) New Product Pacesetters Report.

This year, protein-packed cereal and yogurt, snacks and convenient meals with bold and indulgent flavors, whole grain and gluten-free food options are key consumer-driven product themes poised to drive growth for General Mills.

Products for protein seekers

Today, more than 50 percent of consumers are looking to add more protein to their diets, making high-protein foods among the most sought-after items in U.S. supermarkets. To meet growing consumer desire for protein, General Mills will expand its lineup of products featuring protein with:


    --  Cheerios Protein - General Mills expands the Cheerios franchise with new
        Cheerios Protein, the first-ever protein-fortified Cheerios product that
        combines the famous toasted "O"s with crunchy granola clusters. Each
        serving offers 11 grams of protein with milk.
    --  Yoplait Greek new flavors - Consumers looking for a protein-rich, full
        flavor Greek yogurt in fruity and indulgent flavors will enjoy new
        varieties including Lemon Meringue, Key Lime, Peaches 'n Cream, Honey,
        Piña Colada, Caffe Mocha and Caramel.
    --  Cascadian Farm Protein Granola - At 10 grams of protein per serving, new
        Cascadian Farm Protein Granola is the first mainstream organic protein
        granola made from pea protein.

Bold flavors in snacks and meals

Consumer tastes are evolving to embrace products with globally-inspired flavors that offer variety and adventure in every bite. General Mills is bringing bigger and bolder flavors that will wake up the taste buds to many of its convenient meals and snacks, including:


    --  Old El Paso Nacho Cheese Taco Shells - Blasted with nacho cheese
        flavoring inside and out, the new Old El Paso Bold Nacho Cheese Taco kit
        brings a remarkably popular quick service restaurant trend into the
        homes of consumers for the first time.
    --  Progresso Chili - Soup season will heat up with Progresso's new premium
        Chili, made with hearty ingredients, including tender chicken and beef,
        thick cuts of vegetables, herbs and spices. Available in Southwest Style
        Chicken Chili with Beans or Smokehouse Pork and Beef Chili with Beans.

    --  Chex Mix Xtreme - Chex Mix is turning up the heat in the snack aisle
        with new Xtreme flavors such as Habanero Lime and Sweet & Spicy
        Sriracha.

Meeting gluten-free needs

It is estimated that around 30 percent of consumers are trying to cut back on gluten. Consumers who follow a gluten-free diet continue to seek great tasting, gluten-free foods. General Mills adds to its extensive gluten-free portfolio with:


    --  Chex Gluten Free Oatmeal - For the first time, Chex brings one of
        America's favorite breakfast meals to the homes of gluten-free eaters
        with its all new Chex Gluten Free Oatmeal in Maple Brown Sugar, Apple
        Cinnamon, and Original flavors.
    --  Betty Crocker Gluten Free Pizza Crust - Expanding into new gluten-free
        meal occasions, Betty Crocker introduces Gluten Free Pizza Crust mix,
        which is in high demand among gluten-free consumers.
    --  LARABAR RENOLA - LARABAR is reinventing granola with the launch of the
        first nationally distributed, grain-free granola, called RENOLA. Made
        with simple ingredients including nuts, fruit and seeds, it is available
        in three flavors: Cinnamon Nut, Cocoa Coconut and Berry.
    --  Food Should Taste Good Brown Rice Crackers - Made with simple
        ingredients including gluten-free grains like sesame and flax seeds,
        quinoa and amaranth, these crackers are available in culinary-inspired
        flavors such as Sea Salt, Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato and Basil.

Adding more Whole Grains

While a subset of people are turning to gluten-free foods, 81 percent of consumers say they are trying to eat more whole grains. The following are just some of the newest General Mills products to help the company deliver more than 37.5 million servings of whole grain per day:


    --  Suddenly Grain Salad - This new line of Suddenly Salad makes simple work
        of creating a side dish with whole and ancient grains. Every box
        includes more than 27 grams of grain blends like brown rice, wild rice
        and quinoa paired with flavorful dressings like Tuscan, Southwest and
        Mediterranean.
    --  Green Giant Steamers - Green Giant takes the guesswork out of preparing
        dishes that combine vegetables and whole grains.  New varieties of
        Steamers feature brown rice or barley with frozen vegetables and
        culinary-inspired sauces like Parmesan Asiago, Rosemary, and Teriyaki.
    --  Nature Valley Fruteria - These new chewy granola bars combine real fruit
        pieces and chewy oats for a 100-calorie snack designed to appeal
        specifically to Hispanic consumers. Available in Mango Strawberry and
        Strawberry Apple.

Sweetening the day with an indulgent treat

For people looking to sweeten their day, General Mills offers a wide variety of treats that can fit many lifestyles:


    --  Fiber One Streusel - Weight-conscious consumers who don't want to
        indulge in high-calorie coffee shop treats will enjoy new Fiber One
        Streusel bars in Strawberry and Blueberry.
    --  Betty Crocker Hershey's Premium Dessert Mixes - Betty Crocker partners
        with Hershey's to bring even more varieties to its line of premium
        dessert mixes with Hershey's s'mores, Reese's Peanut Butter & Chocolate
        and Heath dessert bar mixes and Hershey's s'mores cookie mix.
    --  Pillsbury Melts - These ready-to-bake filled cookies can be topped with
        a drizzle of chocolate in two varieties: Molten Fudge Cake and S'more
        Sensation.
    --  Haagen-Dazs Triple Sensations - Available in Europe and China, new
        Haagen-Dazs Triple Sensations offer three layers of indulgence in each
        bite -- rich and creamy ice cream, a crunchy topping and a sauce.
        Available in Praline Caramel Seduction, Chocolate Caramel Passion and
        Speculoos Caramel Desire.

About General Mills
 General Mills is one of the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2014 worldwide sales of US $17.9 billion.

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SOURCE General Mills