Is kernza the new quinoa? The maker of Cheerios is investing in the experimental and sustainable grain
A wild cousin of wheat could be the next grain found in popular cereals and snacks, and it just got backing from a prominent member of Big Food.
General Mills, the maker of Cheerios and Lucky Charms, announced this week that it was going to purchase a significant (but undisclosed) amount of kernza for its Cascadian Farm brand.
If you aren’t familiar with kernza, don’t worry. It’s a relatively obscure plant that’s been domesticated by scientists in Kansas at The Land Institute. (General Mills also donated $500,000 to this non-profit agricultural research group and the University of Minnesota to find ways to better commercialize the grain.)