Earlier this month, cereal giant General Mills announced that it would purchase Annie’s Homegrown, an organic foods company best known for its boxed macaroni and cheese and bunny-shaped crackers and cookies. The Annie’s board approved the sale, but many organic food fans feel betrayed. Almost 13,000 people have signed a petition urging General Mills to keep Annie’s exactly as it is.

At the time the acquisition was announced, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal pointed out that General Mills’ overall business was growing 1% per year, while sales in its “Small Planet Foods” organic cereals and snacks division grew 6%. General Mills already owns other prominent organic food brands, and Annie’s fits into that portfolio nicely. Yet customers worry that the new owners will change the brand’s standards.

General Mills’ stated position on GMO labeling is that they will label their products if there’s a uniform national label requirement, but they oppose state labeling initiatives. The company’s campaigning against GMO labeling on a state-by-state basis has earned them the wrath of people who want to limit their exposure to genetically modified food.

The company insists that nothing will change.

Of course, the CEO of Annie’s would say that even if the new parent company had nefarious plans, but the truth is that organic food is a growing part of the market, and the brand’s loyal customers and credibility are exactly why General Mills paid so much for the company.

Can General Mills overcome the Annie’s acquisition backlash? [Bakery and Snacks]

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