The Gold Medal Flour brand was created on June 8, 1880, when the Washburn Crosby Company, predecessor to General Mills, Inc., entered the first International Millers’ Exhibition and won the gold, silver and bronze medals on the three grades of spring wheat patent process flour. The gold medal was given to Washburn’s Superlative flour, which is still a brand sold today in the Bakery Flour channel. After winning the award, Washburn Crosby began using “Gold Medal” as the brand name on the firm’s best grade of flour, and on Aug. 19, 1880, the first flour was packed and shipped under that now-famous brand.
Today, over a century later after its inception, Gold Medal is still the number one selling consumer branded flour.
General Mills has been an innovator in the flour industry since the 1960s. Consumer innovations through the years include: No Sift Flour (1961), Wondra Flour (1963), Better for Bread Flour (1979) and the Resealable plastic bag (2000). Innovations for commercial bakers include the introduction of a line of organic flours (1995) and the introduction of Harvest King Flour (1997) - an artisan baking flour used in the commercial baking segment.
Gold Medal’s heritage has earned the trust of both scratch and professional bakers alike. And our years of dedication to flour milling ensure that we are committed to delivering the best quality flour for your baked goods.