2 min read- General Mills says its entire K-12 school foods portfolio is now made without certified colors, hitting that goal ahead of schedule.
- The company says it got from 98 percent to 100 percent by reformulating Lucky Charms 25 percent Less Sugar Cereal.
- General Mills also says it’s still on track to remove certified colors from its full U.S. cereal portfolio by summer 2026 and from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
At this point, it feels like every week another brand is announcing it’s pulling dyes, artificial colors, or flavorings from something. From chips to drinks and everything in between—the whole grocery store is in its ingredient-adjustment era. And now General Mills is making one of its biggest moves yet, especially for kids.
The company announced that its entire K-12 school foods portfolio is now made without certified colors, hitting that milestone ahead of its original summer 2026 target.
That last step, according to General Mills, came from reformulating Lucky Charms 25 percent Less Sugar Cereal, which moved the school-food lineup from 98 percent to 100 percent free of certified colors.
“We are proud to have reached this important milestone,” said Pankaj Sharma, segment president, North America Foodservice, General Mills. “As a trusted partner to schools for more than a century, this is yet another example of listening to their needs and providing great-tasting products from brands students love.”
General Mills says its K-12 lineup includes ready-to-eat cereals, which it notes are the leading source of whole grains in school breakfast, along with lower-sugar and lower-sodium meal options designed to meet school nutrition standards.
This is specifically about the company’s school food portfolio, not every box of cereal on grocery shelves just yet. But General Mills says it’s still on track to remove certified colors from its full U.S. cereal portfolio by summer 2026 and from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
While this big ingredient shift is just starting out in cafeterias, it could have a much bigger ripple effect in the cereal aisle, too.