The global operations of Yoplait yogurt could become General Mills' best bet for international growth, executives said at the food giant's annual investor day last Wednesday.
Golden Valley-based General Mills Inc. completed its $1.2 billion acquisition of a 51 percent interest in French yogurt maker Yoplait S.A.S. earlier this month. Sodiaal, a major French dairy cooperative, will remain the yogurt maker's other main owner.
General Mills had long been Yoplait's biggest licensee, holding market rights for the brand in United States, where Yoplait is the No. 1 yogurt. Now, as majority owner, General Mills will be looking to gain from expanding Yoplait globally, particularly into developing markets like China and India.
"Yogurt is a great global category," General Mills' international operations chief Chris O'Leary told stock analysts Wednesday. The company expects "robust" growth in the years to come.
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