General Mills Embraces AI and Product Innovations to Drive Consumer Growth
General Mills, the company behind Cheerios and Pillsbury, is shifting its focus towards artificial intelligence and product innovations in a bid to reignite consumer growth. CEO Jeffrey Harmening shared that the CPG giant is leveraging AI to create digital personas that help understand consumer needs, with plans to develop solutions based on their feedback. The company is also using AI in marketing to better target consumers with brand messaging.
According to Harmening, General Mills is revolutionizing its approach to innovation by investing in capabilities to deliver impactful ideas that resonate with consumers. The emphasis on AI aligns with the increasing trend of shoppers using technology to discover new brands and build grocery lists, leading to a tripling of e-commerce growth across the company’s top retail partners.
In addition to AI, General Mills is focusing on product development to cater to consumer trends like the demand for protein and fiber. Dana McNabb, group president of North America Retail, revealed plans for new launches in the second half of the year, including products like Honey Nut Cheerios Protein and Ghost Performance nutrition bars.
The company aims for net sales from new products to grow by 25%, driven by innovations in taste, nutrition, ingredients, and packaging. General Mills is set to introduce updates such as a cheesier Annie’s Mac & Cheese and Pillsbury refrigerated dough that bakes up bigger, alongside packaging changes that have proven to boost sales for brands like Chex Mix and Gushers.
Despite a cautious fiscal outlook for 2026, with expected organic sales decline, General Mills remains committed to bold product strategies that resonate with consumers. McNabb emphasized that the company is making significant investments in areas that matter most to consumers, steering away from incremental changes in favor of substantial innovations.