Cedar Rapids and General Mills Go Together Like Cheerios and Milk
The next time you enjoy a bowl of your favorite cereal, you may need to give a quick thanks to the great people of Cedar Rapids. General Mills operates what is now one of its largest cereal production facilities in Cedar Rapids, producing delicious breakfast favorites such as Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs.
Driving the Economy
In Iowa, General Mills plays an important role in the local economy through support of economic activity and jobs across its supply chain. A recently released study by General Mills and Oxford Economics found that General Mills directly provided more than 900 jobs in Iowa, and the company’s activity also supported nearly 2,600 jobs in the state through supply chain activities and workers spending their wages on consumer goods and services.
General Mills has been operating in Cedar Rapids since 1969 and in Avon (Des Moines) since 1957.
Pete Bittorf, plant manager at General Mills’ Cedar Rapids facility, says the company has 800 employees in Cedar Rapids, which includes support salary positions along with production wage positions. The average tenure of technicians at General Mills plants in Iowa is more than nine years.
“One thing that’s kind of neat, there is a lot of tenure from a family perspective, so folks that started and then recommended their child, grandchild, niece or nephew to start and work with the facility as well,” Bittorf says. “I always think that’s a really good sign of what we are doing here if you recommend your family members to come and work with you.”
Growing Together
Pete Bittorf
General Mills’ Cedar Rapids plant has three main operating departments. About 40% of the facility produces cereal including various types of Cheerios and other cereals.
Frosting, such as Betty Crocker ready-to-spread varieties, is about 10% of the facility’s production, and the remaining 50% of capacity is in the company’s growing fruit production division, which includes Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit by the Foot, Gushers and other fruit snacks.
General Mills spent nearly $95 million in Iowa through its supply chain in 2024, including more than $5 million spent on meat products. Additionally, more than $103 million in employee income was generated by jobs in General Mills’ Iowa supply chain.
Bittorf says General Mills relies heavily on the community for its employee pipeline. Cedar Rapids has no shortage of people who work hard and care deeply about the work they do.
“In this area of the country, from a farming perspective, there is a lot of technical capability that comes with that as well as work ethic,” Bittorf says, adding that the pool of potential workers makes the area attractive from a business standpoint.
He says Cedar Rapids also offers a centralized location with access to major shipping routes, nearby suppliers like International Paper and key ingredients sourced throughout the Midwest.
Fast Fact
Cedar Rapids is also home to the world’s largest cereal plant. Quaker Oats operates a downtown plant that produces more than 26.7 million pounds of Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries each year. The plant also produces Life cereal, Quaker Oats oatmeal and instant grits. The 13-floor factory is among the 20 tallest buildings in Iowa and the fourth tallest in Cedar Rapids.
Giving Back
General Mills donated more than $240,000 in 2024 to communities where it operates in Iowa as part of the company’s Hometown Grant Program. Organizations supported include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Junior Achievement, The Linn County Fair Association and the Especially for You Race Against Breast Cancer.
In 2024, the company also contributed more than $50,000 to Iowa schools through its Box Tops for Education Program.
Bittorf says General Mills and Cedar Rapids truly have a mutually beneficial relationship. That commitment extends beyond operations to the company’s core mission.
“What we are really trying to do is support our mission by taking care of our people, taking care of our products and making sure that we are positioned to make food the world loves,” Bittorf says.