With roots reaching back to the late 1800s, General Mills is an American icon. Not only has it established world-famous brands like Cheerios (originally introduced in 1941 under the name “Cheerioats”), it has contributed directly to our country’s history—including giving a young broadcaster named Ronald Reagan a break early on in his career.
General Mills has stood the test of time because it has always maintained a competitive edge through innovative business practices, a tradition that continues today in their commitment to clean energy.
Recently, the company announced that they will expand their commitment to wind power by signing on to a virtual 15-year power purchase agreement with Roaring Fork Wind. The agreement will produce 200 megawatts of renewable energy credits, originating from the soon-to-be-built Maverick Creek wind project, located in central Texas.
Roaring Fork Wind is an ambitious joint venture that partners RES (Renewable Energy Systems) with Steelhead Americas, both firms that specialize in wind power developments. They will be in charge of constructing the Maverick Creek wind project, which is General Mills’ second wind power agreement in as many years. Cactus Flats, General Mills’ first wind energy purchase agreement, is about 10 miles away from where the new wind project is scheduled to be built.
“General Mills began its milling operations more than 150 years ago with water power from the banks of the Mississippi River,” said John Church, General Mills’ chief supply chain officer and global business solutions officer. “By learning from history, and tying back to our clean power roots, the equivalent of our domestic facilities’ annual electricity needs will be covered by clean wind power, helping to reach our climate commitment of decreasing our carbon footprint by 28 percent by 2025.”
With the new agreement enhancing the company’s wind energy capabilities, General Mills will now produce enough renewable energy credits to equal 100 percent of the electricity consumed at all their domestic facilities. Once construction is underway, Maverick Creek is expected to employ up to 175 workers in the clean energy sector.
Just a few days before General Mills announced the new wind project, the company put out their 2019 Global Responsibility Report, which details the actions the company has taken to ensure their business practices are sustainable and beneficial to the consumers they serve.
General Mills’ recent activities shows the company’s great enthusiasm for sourcing clean and sustainable energy to run their operation. But it also reveals a carefully plotted strategy from a timeless American company that knows it must innovate to stay ahead of the competition. We applaud their tireless efforts to serve their customers and strengthen our clean energy future. (For more Business Spotlight posts, click here.)
