Three General Mills plants for chop in push on costs

Core Viewpoint - General Mills is closing three factories in Missouri as part of a cost-cutting and productivity improvement strategy, which includes a broader "global transformation" program aimed at enhancing business efficiency [1][2][3]. Group 1: Factory Closures - The company will shut a pizza-crust facility in St. Charles by the end of June next year and two pet-food plants in Joplin a month later [2]. - The closures are part of a consolidation effort, with production transitioning to other facilities [2][3]. - General Mills expects to incur $82 million in restructuring charges due to these closures and asset consolidations [3]. Group 2: Financial Performance - In the last full financial year, General Mills reported a 2% decline in net sales to $19.5 billion, with organic sales also down 2% [4]. - For the first quarter of the new financial year, reported sales fell 7% to $4.5 billion, while organic revenues decreased by 3% [4]. - Reported volumes across the group fell by eight percentage points, with North America retail experiencing a 16-point decline [5]. Group 3: Strategic Outlook - The company aims to reinvest savings from the closures to boost sales volumes [5]. - The chairman and CEO expressed confidence in the company's strategy, noting improvements in market share across key categories [6].