- link Copy Url
- [  Share on twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can Cereal Save the Planet? This Sustainable New Grain May Bowl Over the Industry https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/250071?absolute=1&via=3blnews "link to 3 B L Media's Twitter")
- [  Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/250071?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Linkedin")
- [  Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/250071?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Facebook")
- [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=Can Cereal Save the Planet? This Sustainable New Grain May Bowl Over the Industry&body=ESG News from General Mills https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/250071?absolute=1 "Share via email")
 
 

 [Responsible Production & Consumption](/CSR-News/responsible-production-consumption-0)

 # Can Cereal Save the Planet? This Sustainable New Grain May Bowl Over the Industry

 

##### By Ellise Pierce, Special Contributor

 

 

 May 29, 2019 11:35 AM ET

  Campaign:  [Addressing Climate Change from Farm to Fork](/news/campaign/addressing-climate-change-farm-fork)  ![](/sites/default/files/styles/carousel_2x/public/images/Kernza_Cereal_wide_0.jpeg "General Mills developed a Kernza cereal for its Cascadian Farm brand. (General Mills)") General Mills developed a Kernza cereal for its Cascadian Farm brand. (General Mills) 

 

[Originally published by Dallas News](https://www.dallasnews.com/life/cooking/2019/05/23/can-cereal-save-planet-sustainable-new-grain-may-bowl-industry)

Several years ago, Maria Carolina Comings, a General Mills executive who presides over the company's organic brands (Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen and Epic) was approached by a professor with the [University of Minnesota's Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics](https://agronomy.cfans.umn.edu/) about a new grain it was researching and developing. It's a grain that held great promise, he said, and could positively impact the environment.

Smaller than traditionally grown wheat, and derived from a perennial Eurasian forage crop called intermediate wheatgrass, the wheatlike grain was called Kernza.

Comings, who's known as MC to her colleagues, was intrigued. But it wasn't until 2017, when she connected with t[he Land Institute](https://landinstitute.org/), a nonprofit out of Salina, Kan., that she realized that Kernza could be developed into something for her Cascadian Farm brand. She just wasn't sure what.

"This grain doesn't mill like other grains," she says. "It's smaller and we had to figure out how we were going to mill it. But what are you milling it for? Don't know. Could be a cereal. Could be a granola bar. We just knew it aligned with who we are as a brand. We gave it to our R&D team and said, 'What can we do with this?'"

Comings says despite the risks, she was committed to making a product with something they didn't know anything about. "This was a big investment for us, with no payout for five years or maybe 10," she says, "but it was super important for our brand. One of the values at General Mills is 'Do the right thing,' and Cascadian Farm is committed to feeding people better and taking care of the planet."

[**Read more**](https://www.dallasnews.com/life/cooking/2019/05/23/can-cereal-save-planet-sustainable-new-grain-may-bowl-industry)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [![](/sites/default/files/Clients/Screen_Shot_2020-08-04_at_3.58.35_PM.png)](/profiles/general-mills)

 



 

### More from General Mills

###### [GoodWorks Program Advances BIPOC-Owned Businesses](/news/goodworks-program-advances-bipoc-owned-businesses)

 Jun 22, 2021 12:45 PM ET

  



###### [Are You Down To Recycle? Nature Valley and Down to Earth With Zac Efron Partner for Recycling Awareness](/news/are-you-down-recycle-nature-valley-and-down-earth-zac-efron-partner-recycling-awareness)

 Jun 3, 2021 1:30 PM ET

  



###### [General Mills Is One of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens](/news/general-mills-one-100-best-corporate-citizens)

 May 19, 2021 11:30 AM ET

  



###### [General Mills and NFWF Announce Partnership to Accelerate the Adoption of Regenerative Agriculture](/news/general-mills-and-nfwf-announce-partnership-accelerate-adoption-regenerative-agriculture)

 May 11, 2021 1:00 PM ET

  



###### [Box Tops for Education Partners With Black Men Teach](/news/box-tops-education-partners-black-men-teach)

 May 10, 2021 1:00 PM ET

  



###### [General Mills Makes Meaningful Global Responsibility Progress to Shape the Future](/news/general-mills-makes-meaningful-global-responsibility-progress-shape-future-2021-report)

 Apr 22, 2021 11:30 AM ET

  



###### [General Mills Becomes First U.S. Consumer Packaged Goods Company to Enter Into a Sustainability-Linked Revolving Credit Facility](/news/general-mills-becomes-first-us-consumer-packaged-goods-company-enter-sustainability-linked)

 Apr 15, 2021 12:15 PM ET

  



###### [Yoplait Donates Refrigerated Truck To Help Feed Those in Need](/news/yoplait-donates-refrigerated-truck-help-feed-those-need)

 Apr 7, 2021 11:30 AM ET