General Mills
Flagged · AvoidThe maker of Cheerios, Pillsbury, and dozens of household food brands, with a documented record of pesticide contamination, deceptive health marketing, and workplace discrimination.
Last updated June 16, 2026
↓ Skip to 8 ethical alternativesReasons to avoid
Issues span:LaborEnvironmentConsumer
- Eight Black workers at General Mills' Covington, Georgia plant filed a federal class action lawsuit in 2024 alleging that a group called the "Good Ole Boys" — described as a fraternal organization of white supremacists embedded in plant management and HR — systematically denied Black employees promotions, issued them disproportionate discipline, and created a racially hostile work environment the suit claims has existed since the plant opened in 1988.
- Independent lab tests found glyphosate — the active ingredient in Roundup weedkiller — in Nature Valley granola bars and Cheerios. General Mills settled a lawsuit by agreeing to remove "Made with 100% Natural Whole Grain Oats" from Nature Valley packaging. The company had been using glyphosate on oat crops as a harvest desiccant: a practice with no food-safety benefit, done solely to increase yield.
- A peer-reviewed 2024 study in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology found chlormequat — a pesticide linked to reduced fertility and fetal harm in animals — in 92% of non-organic oat-based foods tested, including Cheerios. The chemical is not approved for use on U.S. food crops, but General Mills said only that its products "adhere to all regulatory requirements." Organic oat products showed dramatically lower contamination.
- The Texas Attorney General opened an investigation into General Mills in 2025 for marketing cereals like Trix and Lucky Charms as "healthy" while they contained petroleum-based artificial dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5) linked to hyperactivity disorders, endocrine disruption, and cancer in children. General Mills had pledged to remove artificial dyes in 2015, quietly re-added them two years later, and only committed to removing them again under threat of legal action.
- In December 2025, San Francisco's city attorney filed a landmark lawsuit against General Mills and nine other food companies, comparing their marketing tactics to Big Tobacco. The suit alleged the companies deliberately used cartoon mascots and partnerships with toy makers and children's media to hook kids — particularly in low-income communities of color — on ultra-processed products that drive obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Ethical alternatives
Breakfast Cereals
Nature's Path
Family-owned, certified B Corp organic cereal company. Wide range of breakfast cereals and granolas with no artificial anything.
✅ B-Corp🌿 Organic
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Bob's Red Mill
100% employee-owned grain mill. Oatmeal, whole grain cereals, and baking mixes — the founder literally gave the company to his workers.
✊ Worker Owned
Visit →Snacks & Bars
GoMacro
Certified B Corp, family-founded, plant-based nutrition bars. Organic and made without artificial ingredients.
✅ B-Corp🌿 Organic
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Patagonia Provisions
Certified B Corp owned by the Patagonia Purpose Trust, where profits not reinvested go toward protecting the planet. Makes organic fruit and nut bars, trail mix, and other clean snacks.
✅ B-Corp🌿 Organic
Visit →Baking
King Arthur Baking Company
100% employee-owned and certified B Corp. Flour, mixes, and baking supplies from a company that has been around since 1790 and belongs entirely to its workers.
✊ Worker Owned✅ B-Corp
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Guittard
The oldest continuously family-owned chocolate company in the US, making chocolate since 1868. Baking chips, bars, and cocoa powder crafted with responsibly sourced cocoa.
👪 Family Owned
Visit →Yogurt
Stonyfield
Certified organic yogurt committed to clean ingredients and sustainable dairy farming.
🌿 Organic
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Clover Sonoma
Third-generation family-owned California dairy and certified B Corp. The first US dairy to earn American Humane Certified status, with rBST-free milk from small family farms.
✅ B-Corp🐄 Certified Humane👪 Family Owned
Visit →Common Questions
- Is General Mills ethical?
- Eight Black workers at a General Mills plant filed a federal class action in 2024 alleging a white supremacist group embedded in management systematically denied them promotions since 1988. Independent lab tests found glyphosate in Nature Valley granola bars and Cheerios, and a 2024 peer-reviewed study found a fertility-linked pesticide in 92% of non-organic oat-based General Mills products tested.
- Why should I avoid General Mills?
- General Mills pledged to remove artificial dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 5 from cereals in 2015, quietly re-added them two years later, and only committed to removing them again under threat of legal action in 2025. San Francisco filed a landmark lawsuit in December 2025 comparing its children's cereal marketing tactics to Big Tobacco.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to General Mills?
- Nature's Path is a B Corp certified, family-owned organic cereal company with no artificial ingredients. Bob's Red Mill is 100% employee-owned with oatmeal and whole grain products. King Arthur Baking Company is also 100% employee-owned and B Corp certified for flour and baking mixes.