General Mills said Wednesday it will accelerate by one year its commitment to more than double the acreage from which it sources organic ingredients.
The move is in tandem with the company's disclosure last month that it expects to meet its goal of $1 billion in organic and natural food sales by 2019 instead of 2020.
In its last fiscal year, the Golden Valley-based packaged food giant had $675 million in organic and natural sales. The company will source organic ingredients from 250,000 acres of farmland by 2019, up from 120,000 in 2015.
General Mills says it has increased the organic acreage it supports by 120 percent from 2009 and is now among the top five North American organic ingredient purchasers — and the second largest buyer of fruits and vegetables.
The company's organic and natural brands include Cascadian Farm, Annie's and tomato product maker Muir Glen.
General Mills sources organic products from ingredient companies and from farmers directly.
"To achieve growth we anticipate for our natural and organic brands, we will need a more robust pipeline of organic growers," John Church, executive vice president for General Mills' supply chain.
Mike Hughlett • 612-673-7003
