General Mills, Batter Blaster Win GMA Awards

SN STAFF

COLORADO SPRINGS — The 2011 CPG Awards for Innovation and Creativity were presented to General Mills and Batter Blaster by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and its Associate Member Council at GMA’s Executive Conference Monday.

“Both winners demonstrated a unique execution of originality and resourcefulness that benefits not only the demand of the consumers, but the industry as a whole,” said AMC Chairman Gregory Smith, global lead partner of KPMG, in a statement.

General Mills was recognized for its use of an Oat Hulls Biomass Burner that burns oat hulls left over from the milling process to produce about 90% of the steam needed to heat the plant and produce oat flour for Cheerios.

“Our biomass burner addressed two compelling business needs — saving money and reducing our footprint on the environment for years to come,” said General Mills Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ken Powell. “We’ve sharpened our focus on building sustainability into every step, from seed to spoon, and this project is one of the most recent and visible successes from this journey."

Austin, Texas-based Batter Blaster was recognized for creating a whole new category with its ready-to-cook pancake and waffle batter in a pressurized can. Offering four different batter flavors for 90 calories or less per serving, Batter Blaster found its in-store destination on retail shelves through line extensions, product demonstrations, event marketing, social media and word of mouth, according to GMA.

“Ready-made pancake mix has been around since 1889; Batter Blaster is still shaking up that category more than 120 years later, adding new consumers and growth to a typically traditional category,” said the company's founder and CEO, Sean O’Connor, in a statement.