MINNEAPOLIS, MN — General Mills announced this week that it will remove certified colors from all its U.S. cereals and K-12 school foods by summer 2026, with plans to extend the removal across its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.

The move affects only a small portion of General Mills’ school food offerings, as most are already produced without certified colors. According to the company, 85% of its retail products are also currently made without them.

Company officials said the decision reflects a continued effort to align products with evolving consumer expectations. “We’re working to ensure that will soon apply to our full portfolio,” said CEO Jeff Harmening. “Knowing the trust families place in us, we are leading the way on removing certified colors in cereals and K-12 foods by next summer.”

General Mills highlighted its broader efforts to reformulate products in recent years, including sugar reduction in school foods, doubling vitamin D in cereals in 2023, and cutting sodium levels in key categories by 20% since 2019.

The company’s full portfolio of brands includes several household names and products widely used in schools, making the update part of a broader industry trend toward ingredient transparency and health-focused reformulations.

For more information, visit GeneralMills.com.