Recent content from Kristen Leigh Painter
Meet Evan Ramstad, the Star Tribune's newest business columnist
Ramstad, a native Iowan, has worked as a reporter and editor for 35 years.
Cargill names a new CEO: Sikes to succeed MacLennan on Jan. 1
Brian Sikes will take over the top post of America's largest private company from Dave MacLennan, who has held the role for the past decade.
In major retreat, Bright Health halts individual health insurance coverage
The Bloomington-based health insurer will halt individual coverage in 15 states and reduce Medicare Advantage plans to just California and Florida.
Minnesota farmers, businesses relieved after rail strike averted
The state has one of the most robust freight rail systems and use in the nation, moving tons of iron ore and agricultural and food products within and across its borders.
CHS boosts member payout to $1 billion, four times higher than last year
Soaring prices on oil and ag commodities lifted the finances of the co-op and its member farmers.
Cargill posts annual revenue of $165B, its most ever
The Minnetonka-based agribusiness giant's revenue soared 23% in a year marked by "extreme events."
Cargill settles DOJ suit to clear path for $4.5B chicken deal
The U.S. Department of Justice filed antitrust lawsuit against Cargill, other chicken companies alleging wage suppression. Both sides agree to settle, clearing the way for new joint venture.
Black Americans are acutely underrepresented in farming; Cargill is working to change that
The agribusiness is attempting to bring more minority farmers into the supply chain through price premiums and new market opportunities in hopes of reversing historical discrimination.
Final Four organizers say Sun Country canceled team welcome space at last minute
When hometown airline Sun Country backed out, Delta Air Lines stepped in to provide a hangar and charter flights for some of the women's Final Four teams last week, organizers and the airlines said.
Cargill scales back in Russia, continues food operations
The Minnetonka-based agribusiness is straddling the geopolitical fence as public pressure to withdraw from Russia grows. The agriculture behemoth is one of the largest non-Russian exporters of Russian wheat and owns a complex of mills south of Moscow.
From missile strikes to employee safety, Cargill, other Minn. companies, scramble in Ukraine
Minnetonka-based agribusiness giant, which immediately implemented its contingency plan in case of attack, said crew is safe after its vessel was hit leaving Ukraine port.
Minnesota grain traders monitor conflict in ag-rich Ukraine
Minnesota agribusinesses make plans for their employees in Ukraine. Meanwhile, wheat and corn prices spiked as tensions grew.
Suki Dardarian named Star Tribune editor as Rene Sanchez departs
Sanchez has held the top post at Minnesota's largest newsroom for the past eight years, leading the newspaper to a Pulitzer Prize in 2021.
Cargill makes biggest bioindustrial deal yet, spends $1B on unit of U.K's Croda chemical firm
The Minnesota agribusiness is buying the UK-based business to expand its industrial product offerings derived from plants.
These Sun Country top bosses went 'undercover' as flight attendants
CEO Jude Bricker and COO Greg Mays got flight attendant certification to keep in touch with crews and passengers.
Hormel CFO Sheehan to retire, will be succeeded by Smiley
Jim Sheehan spent 43 years with Hormel, helping to guide corporate strategy and taking a conservative approach to its finances.
Animal rights group accuses Minnesota's Jennie-O and Butterfield of mistreating birds
Animal Welfare Institute asks local county attorneys to prosecute firms where turkeys and chickens died in trucks.
Sun Country, Landline will offer car pickup and dropoff service to fliers in the Twin Cities
Landline will use four-passenger SUVs to shuttle passengers between their homes and the Sun Country hub at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
State sues big Minnesota egg producer, accusing it of price-gouging in pandemic
Minnesota joins other states in suing egg producers, but Sparboe and other farmers wonder if prosecutors understand economics.
General Mills continues its pandemic-era growth despite inflation, supply chain pressures
The Minnesota maker of Cheerios is still riding the pandemic's tailwinds despite Wall Street's concern over inflation and higher supply chain costs.
Beef prices are surging, but processors are benefiting more than farmers
Four companies control processing and distribution of 80% of U.S. beef, a choke point that is drawing scrutiny from Washington.
Cargill establishes new carbon measures and money to farmers using soil health practices
Climate scientists, food companies and many farmers see the potential of a better soil health system, but debate how — or even if — large-scale farming can actually transition.
As new competitors arrive at MSP, Sun Country reminds Minnesotans that it's one of them
The Twin Cities airline is adding Caribou Coffee and other local foods as it counts on Minnesotans for growth.
Workers left in lurch after Twin Cities produce firm folds under new owner
H. Brooks Distributing in New Brighton collapsed this summer just a few weeks after another company, J&J Distributing in St. Paul, that had been purchased by the same investor.
What Biden's vaccine mandate means for Minnesota businesses
Sweeping new federal regulations will require employers with more than 100 workers to require immunizations or weekly testing.
As Americans dine out, Hormel's restaurant sales surge
The Minnesota company raised prices in the spring to offset inflationary pressure on its supply chain, which boosted revenue this summer.
69 arrested at Line 3 pipeline protest outside Walz's residence
Charges included third-degree riot and disorderly conduct.
14% of Greenwood fire in northeastern Minnesota now contained
Cooler weather and light rain are helping ease firefighters' battle.
Delta Air Lines imposes fee on unvaccinated employees
MSP's dominant airline is stepping up efforts for a completely inoculated workforce now that the FDA has fully approved a vaccine.
Sales of 'grab-and-go' granola bars plunge as pandemic snacking turns salty
The market for snack bars took a hit as consumers reached for chips and ready-to-eat popcorn as screen time increased.
Twin Cities oat milk maker SunOpta to build 'mega' plant in Texas
The Minnesota company will produce its full lineup of dairy-free milks at the new site in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Milk Specialties Global buys gluten-free specialist Kay's Processing of Clara City
The Eden Prairie-based sports nutrition company has bought Kay's Processing, maker of gluten-free cereals, expanding its protein reach.
Ag Secretary Vilsack visits drought-stricken Minnesota, pledges support for farmers
The visit comes amid a deepening drought afflicting cattle and dairy farmers and worrying some crop growers about next year's water levels.
Judge says $1.3-billion defamation suit against Lindell, MyPillow can proceed
The U.S. District judge in D.C. denied request to dismiss lawsuits against Lindell and his allies Sydney Powell and Rudy Giuliani.
Norman Midthun, a WWII pilot for Norway who spent a career at Northwest Airlines, dies at 96
From a childhood of strife and hardship during the Great Depression, Norman Edward Midthun reached soaring heights. At age 20 he became personal pilot to…
Cargill forms venture to buy a chicken producer for $4.5B
Cargill has chicken processing operations overseas, but its purchase of Sanderson Farms will put it in the middle of a U.S. industry that is red-hot right now.
How a Midwestern farm family found the power of peas and changed American food
Puris, now a leading supplier of pea protein in the U.S., started as a family-run provider of specialty seeds for vegetable growers.
Pipeline Foods' bankruptcy creates headache for growers of organic grain
State agriculture officials are scheduled to meet later this week with farmers who may not have been paid for crops after Fridley-based Pipeline Foods declared bankruptcy.
A dispute over Hammer-Schlagen in Stillwater zeroes in on quirky game's origin
The trademark owner of the nail-and-stump game sued a restaurant for offering the game after a licensing deal expired.
At General Mills, a surprise restructuring in a moment of success
Big makeovers happen at General Mills fairly frequently. But this one was different.
As summer's second holiday begins, MSP is seeing the most passengers since before pandemic
Executives at the Twin Cities airport expect travel demand and flights to increase all summer.
Software outage creates delays on Sun Country flights
The Twin Cities-based airline contended with delays on many flights Thursday, but it was forced to cancel just a handful of them because of a technology breakdown.
A year beyond pandemic surge, General Mills is still flying but not soaring
The Golden Valley-based company posted its best sales year ever during the pandemic, but is facing a return to a slow-growth environment for packaged foods.
Dry conditions are hurting Minnesota's cattle farms first
Nearly half the state's pastures are in bad shape after the drier-than-normal June, forcing cattle producers to consider other ways to feed their animals.
Cow masks? Cargill tries methane-absorbing wearable device
It's the latest experimental technology explored by the Minnetonka-based agribusiness as it seeks to reduce the environmental toll of livestock within its supply chain.
Delta's new station chief works to build back MSP hub after pandemic
Minnesotan Mary Loeffelholz has been commuting to Delta operations in Atlanta and L.A. for more than a decade. Now, she's in charge at MSP and has big plans.
Cargill backs corn as substitute for plastic, builds new plant in Iowa
The Minnetonka-based agribusiness is building a new facility in Iowa to create a corn-based alternative to petroleum-based plastics used in certain consumer goods.
Minnesota's largest craft brewers make a last-call pitch to lawmakers for growler sales
For Surly, Schell's, Indeed and others, the issue is parity with smaller brewers that are allowed to sell beer for customers to take home.
General Mills may cut 20% of 3,000 employees at Golden Valley HQ
The food maker on Friday updated employees and investors on its restructuring costs and layoff targets.
General Mills cuts jobs, reshapes itself to prepare for post-pandemic change in eating
The Golden Valley-based food maker is cutting jobs at headquarters and streamlining business units as the outsized sales it saw during the pandemic come to an end.
For Native nonprofit off Lake Street, resilience after destruction
Migizi executive director Kelly Drummer and her family coped with loss while processing the reasons it happened.
Investors buy Minneapolis' Mighty Spark specialty meat company
Bay Area private-equity group Swander Pace Capital and minority partner Branch Brook Holdings made the purchase.
As Minnesotans return to the skies, a new fight emerges at MSP to take them to Alaska
Millions of Americans are planning getaways now that the pandemic is in retreat.
Restaurants are buying bacon again, Hormel's surprising profit jump shows
Hormel's performance was helped by a turnaround in sales to restaurant and other businesses, a sign that Americans are beginning their postpandemic lifestyles.
Sun Country's main investor to sell part of its stake two months after airline's IPO
The private equity firm Apollo Global Management will remain the airline's controlling investor with about 60% of shares after the secondary offering.
General Mills buying Tyson Foods pet-treats business for $1.2 billion
The Minnesota food maker expands its presence in the fast-growing pet food aisle.
Co-inventor of Post-its, retired 3M scientist Spencer Silver, dies at 80
He earned 37 patents and won numerous awards and "was an artistic type of scientist."
Summer bookings take off for Sun Country
In its first-ever quarterly report, Sun Country signals air travel is rebounding.
Twin Cities produce firms say new owner left them to rot
Less than two years after a private-equity firm took over family-run distributors J&J Distributing and H. Brooks, one has closed and the other is imperiled by legal battles and unpaid debts.
General Mills aims new yogurt at people packing in the protein
Called Ratio Protein, the new yogurt uses ultrafiltered milk to cut sugar and raise protein.
Sun Country adds 18 new routes; will start flights in Duluth, Rochester
Six of the new routes are for winter travel to and from Minneapolis-St. Paul International.
MyPillow sues Dominion, who's already suing MyPillow
The Minnesota pillow company says the voting machine company created financial harm by suing MyPillow first.
A pandemic problem no one has solved: Marine workers stuck at sea
Travel restrictions have seafarers stuck aboard ships or unable to leave countries.
CHS posts a loss after costs rise for fuel credits
The farmers co-op saw growth on its ag side, but its energy business was hurt by sagging demand and higher costs.
SunOpta to open new Eden Prairie headquarters as it eyes growth
The plant-based food ingredients maker will move headquarters from Edina to make room for an anticipated grander future.
For Cargill's shipping unit, Suez block ended up as a minor challenge
Cargill had 13 vessels caught in the backlog when the Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week.
Minnesota farmers had most profitable year since 2012
The results became clear late in the year when commodity prices suddenly climbed after government aid rolled in.
Cargill to officially exit sugar-trading business
The Minnetonka-based agribusiness sold its stake in Alvean, the world's largest sugar company.
General Mills takes trip through social media grinder after man claims shrimp tails in cereal
Allegation over shrimp tails in cereal goes viral, then flakes out.
General Mills: More love for cats and dogs during pandemic fuels growth in pet food
The company said more time at home has led to deepening bonds with pets, making owners willing to spent more on premium pet food
General Mills to sell stake in Yoplait's Europe unit, increase control in Canada
The Minnesota-based food maker is swapping its European yogurt business for royalty-free control in Canada and U.S.
For Sun Country's IPO, investors make airline worth $2 billion
The airline will pay off a government loan and look at expansion with the proceeds of the IPO.
Sun Country's next takeoff is on the stock market
The company will raise about $218 million after its shares start trading Wednesday.
Cargill hires first female CFO in its 150-year history
Jamie Miller, former finance chief at GE, will join the giant agribusiness this summer.
Mike Lindell's biggest gamble: Giving hard sell to baseless election fraud claims
After a lifetime of big risks, the MyPillow CEO bet he could discredit a presidential election.
