GENERAL MILLS CONTENDER IN ORGANIC BOWL

WILLIAM SMYTH

MINNEAPOLIS -- General Mills here has entered the organic-cereal market with its new Sunrise brand.

The cereal shipped this month and will be aggressively promoted through the spring and summer, with the largest sampling program in the history of the company's cereal launches, according to Scott Lutz, vice president of New Enterprises at General Mills.

The new cereal is a combination of organic wheat, corn and brown rice flavored with honey. Suggested retail price is $3.39 for a 12-ounce box.

According to Jack Sheehan, manager of communications at General Mills, the company expects about 17 million people to try the new product. Distribution of the samples will be done through newspapers, direct mail and in-store promotions.

General Mills is the third mainstream manufacturer to create an organic product for a major grocery category. Gerber, owned by Novartis, and H.J. Heinz issued organic baby-food lines. Sheehan stated that there are no plans to sell the product in natural-food stores.