General Mills Achieves 100% Certified-Color-Free K-12 Foods, Targets 2026 Cereal Reformulation
General Mills has reformulated its K-12 school foods to be 100% free of certified colors, advancing from 98% with its Lucky Charms 25% Less Sugar variant. The company will eliminate certified colors from its U.S. cereal portfolio by summer 2026 and its full retail lineup by end-2027.
1. Portfolio Reformulation Milestone
General Mills completed reformulation of its entire K-12 school foods portfolio to be 100% free of certified colors, improving from 98% after updating Lucky Charms 25% Less Sugar cereal.
2. Future Reformulation Timeline
The company remains on track to remove certified colors from its U.S. cereal portfolio by summer 2026 and extend the reformulations across its full U.S. retail lineup by end-2027.
3. Strategic and Financial Implications
This color-free milestone underscores General Mills’ focus on product innovation and positions the company as a leader in K-12 foodservice, while potential cost increases from reformulation may affect margins in the near term.