General Mills is continuing to back genetically modified organisms or GMOs. On the company’s Q4 earnings call General Mills CEO Ken Powell was asked if consumer concerns about GMOs were having any impact on General Mills’s business and if so if the company planned to address the issue.
Food Navigator reports that Powell responded to the question by stating: “On GMOs, obviously we’re aware of what’s going on there and the traffic in social media. Again, we’re not seeing an impact on our business…”
Several companies, including Whole Foods and Chipotle have pledged to start labeling food containing GMOs and Ben & Jerry’s said it will stop using GMOs in its food altogether.
In April of 2013, messages posted on General Mills Cheerios Facebook page expressed outrage over the company’s use of GMOs. At that time Powell responded by stating that ingredients with GMOs are safe and provide environmental benefits.
It appears the General Mills CEO is sticking by those statements.