One of the most exciting aspects of our vacation was our visit to the General Mills headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From the invite to the good-byes, the company made us feel special. I appreciated how much they valued our input and opinions. From the moment I received the invite, I was impressed with the company and the PR agency that coordinated the event. I felt the company went above and beyond to accommodate the attendees. For example, we each had our own room, so I was able to have my husband and son stay with me so we could go straight to our vacation after the event. They worked with me on my flight so I could fly straight to my in-laws, rather than flying home. It’s these small details that really made me feel like the company valued each one of us. When I arrived at the airport, there was a booth where we were able to check in after we obtained our luggage. Why is that so important? Because the event felt organized…from start to finish. I didn’t have to wait after I received my luggage. The company had cars waiting to take us to our hotel. Some of the gals brought their babies and I noticed that car seats had been provided. I also had a crib in my room for my son. Later at the company headquarters on the second day, I noticed they had provided bouncers and a pack and play for the babies at the event. Once we checked in, we were directed to a room where we received an awesome goody bag and some refreshments to tide us over before dinner. Details. Important details that the company thought about prior to the event.
Dinner that night was held at the famous Mill City Museum in Minneapolis. If you know me, than you know that I absolutely LOVE going to museums. I’m the girl that must see every exhibit, reads every display, and then wants to go back and do it all over again in case something was missed. So while I enjoyed every moment inside the museum, I obviously would have loved more time to explore. The Mill City Museum actually has important significance to the company. Here is the history behind it:
The Mill City Museum is housed in the ruins of the flour mill built by Cadwallader Washburn in the early 1920’s. John Crosby eventually became Washburn’s business partner and the Washburn Crosby Company was formed. In 1928, Washburn Crosby merged with other regional millers to become General Mills.
Isn’t that amazing? The museum itself is fascinating. It’s actually a National Historic Landmark…the Washburn A Mill. While we didn’t have much time to explore, we did have an opportunity to experience the story of flour milling through the awesome eight-story Flour Tower Elevator presentation. The theater you sit in, is actually an elevator and the media show chronicles the stories of employees who worked in the mill. The presentation has won numerous awards and for obvious reasons. The only unfortunate part is that photos are not allowed in that particular exhibit, but definitely Google it!
After our museum visit, we spent the remainder of the evening at dinner, socializing with the representatives from the company and the other bloggers at the event (the dinner was inside the museum…again…so cool!). Here are some pictures from the evening:
A little food…
Hehe!
Gorgeous views…
Great…Now I have a craving…
Full…and exhausted…
Our second day started bright and early. I mean EARLY! I was still on California time so it was like 4 am for me when I woke up for our 7 am breakfast. We headed over to General Mills for breakfast…which, by the way did not include cereal (seriously!). But no worries because there was plenty of brand new cereals to try over in the Betty Crocker Kitchens, where we had the biggest tasting session of my life. By the way, did you know that the Betty Crocker Kitchens are real, working kitchens? I had no idea! There are 19 kitchens in total and they feature state of the art appliances. I’d like to have one of these in my home! The kitchens are used to taste over 50,000 recipes each year. WOW!
We tasted a LOT of products. A LOT! Did I emphasize the sheer number of products available to taste test? Take a look!
Now you can imagine why we were STUFFED! Next up was a visit to the company’s photography studios. Now, I know I’m not the best photographer around (hence the pictures above), but one day I’d love to take a class and get a DSLR like the pros! It was fascinating to see a demonstration of how the company shoots the foods you see in advertisements and magazines. I was highly intrigued by this hallway, filled with brilliant pictures with a food item as the focal topic.
The day concluded with lunch (more food!) and a visit to the General Mills gift shop. The company was kind enough to give us some store credit to bring back something memorable from the trip. I was honored to have the opportunity to visit with the company and share my feedback on their products. I was most impressed with their organic lines (Muir Glen and Cascadian Farm) and the elimination of MSG from their canned soups. The company is striving to provide healthier foods for families and I’m excited about their up and coming foods. Here are some last photos from the event.
Be sure to check out even more pictures (they’re spectacular) from the trip on Flickr!
Profuse thanks to General Mills and Coyne PR for a fabulous trip!
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I love your post! It was so much fun! I would totally do it again 🙂
They sound like a company that really “gets it”! Glad you had a great time and were treated so well! Sounds like a fun trip!
Great pics!! I wish I was there. Wait – I WAS! LOL I’ll have my post up later this weekend with all pics.
Looks like you had so much fun! I love reading all your posts from this event. I wish I was there, I really love GM products!
Thanks for sharing.
As a Twin Cities resident I’m so glad one of our best hometown companies rolled out the red carpet for you. I’m even happier they didn’t bring you here during the winter! Ouch!
Fun fact: Once of the company’s marketing executives is actually a relative of mine. Maybe you heard from him at some point!
I was so bummed I couldn’t attend. Looks like you all had a great time. Is that Shannon in the picture with you?