Gold Medal Flour is a well known ingredient in the kitchens of amateur and professional bakers nationally. In 1856, Cadwaller C. Washburn acquired the Minneapolis Mill Company. He was criticized for opening a mill so large when demands were not thought to match the supply.
The quick success of this mill allowed him to open a second, larger “A” mill in 1874. Partnering with his brother and John Crosby, the Washburn-Crosby Co. was created in 1877. One year later an explosion destroyed mill A prompting the purchase of new, safer machinery. This machinery made the Washburn mill the world’s first automated mill creating 5,500 barrels of flour per day.
Going up against flour mills all over the world, the Washburn-Crosby Co. flour won the gold, silver and bronze medals in the first International Millers Exposition. Following this huge success, the company labeled their flour “the best in the world,” leading to the creation of the Gold Medal Flour name. In 1928, James Ford Bell, president of Washburn Crosby Co. merged their mills with 26 others, creating General Mills.
In 1929, General Mills created the box-tops coupon program which gave consumers discounts on products listed in the Betty Crocker catalog. The coupon program ran successfully until 2006 when it was discontinued. General Mills created the Box Tops for Education program in 1996, following the same idea as the original coupon programs. However, this program allowed students to trim tops off of cereal boxes to turn into school, where the school could redeem them for cash to use on school necessities. This program was created in 1996 and still runs today.
General Mills started acquiring a variety of business in 1965 when they entered the toy business and bought Rainbow Crafts (manufactured Play-Doh). Following this acquisition, General Mills also purchased Red Lobster and created The Olive Garden, both successful restaurant chains. General Mills ranked #151 on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations.
Stats
Headquarters: Golden Valley, Minnesota
Industry: Food Processing
Revenue: $14.88 Billion (US)
Employees: 35,000
We also Crosby Washburn Gold Medal cookbook in with our late mothers cookbook collection. W an only assume this was either our Grandmothers or Great Grandmothers cookbook. Grandmother was born in 1897 , Great Grandmother 1860. Since our Great Grandmother cooked mostly by eye ,taste and smell I can only assume this was my Grandmothers. Bottom line we come from a long line of fabulous cooks! The book was obviously well used.
I have a gold medal cook book from 1917 are you intrested in that book
In cleaning out a dear friends house after she passed away at 95, I found a cookbook done by your company. It was called “Gold Medal Flour Cookbook” and dated 1904. I wondered if you would like it for your archives. Please let me know and I will send it to you. Thank you.
I also have a 1908 cookbook….any interest?
I forgot to mention inside of of the GOLD MEDAL FLOUR COOK BOOK was a BETTY CROCKER duplicate signature entitled BETTY CROCKER GOLDMEDAL FLOUR HOME SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Where can I get Washburn Special Flour in Kansas City?