U.S. Mills is a packaged food products company specializing in natural

Natural food movement

"Natural foods" and "all natural foods" are widely used terms in food labeling and marketing with a variety of definitions, some of which are vague. The term is assumed to imply foods that are minimally processed and do not contain manufactured ingredients, but the lack of standards in some...

, organic

Organic food

Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...

, and specialty cereals

Breakfast cereal

A breakfast cereal is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk , water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge...

, cookie

Cookie

In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have...

s, and crackers

Cracker (food)

A cracker is a baked good commonly made from grain flour dough and typically made in quantity in various hand-sized or smaller shapes. Flavorings or seasonings, such as salt, herbs, seeds, and/or cheese, may be added to the dough or sprinkled on top before baking...

. Their products are sold through supermarkets, wholesale grocers, and natural food distributors nationwide. Their brands include Uncle Sam Cereal, Erewhon, New Morning, Skinner's Raisin Bran, and, formerly, Farina

Farina (food)

Farina is a cereal food, frequently described as mild-tasting, usually served warm, made from cereal grains. In contemporary American English use, the word usually refers to Cream of Wheat made from soft wheat. Wheat farina is a carbohydrate-rich food, often cooked in boiling water and served warm...

.

History

U.S. Mills was founded in 1908, with the introduction of Uncle Sam Cereal. In 1926, the company introduced Skinner's Raisin Bran, which is claimed to be America's first raisin bran

Raisin Bran

Raisin bran is a breakfast cereal manufactured by several companies under a variety of brand names, including Kellogg's Raisin Bran; General Mills' Total Raisin Bran, a variant by General Mills called Raisin Nut Bran; and Ralcorp's Post Raisin Bran.-History:Skinner's Raisin Bran was the first...

.

Meanwhile, the Erewhon Natural Foods Market was founded in 1966 by Aveline and Michio Kushi

Michio Kushi

Michio Kushi born 1926 in Japan, helped to introduce modern macrobiotics to the United States in the early 1950s. He has lectured about philosophy, spiritual development, health, food and diseases at conferences and seminars all over the world.-Background:After World War II, Kushi studied with...

, with an emphasis on organically-grown produce and macrobiotics. In 1986, Erewhon acquired U.S. Mills, choosing to adopt "U.S. Mills" as the new company name.

In 2000, the company acquired New Morning, a packaged natural foods distributor and the first company to introduce natural versions of children's cereals.

In 2001, U.S. Mills acquired the Farina

Farina (food)

Farina is a cereal food, frequently described as mild-tasting, usually served warm, made from cereal grains. In contemporary American English use, the word usually refers to Cream of Wheat made from soft wheat. Wheat farina is a carbohydrate-rich food, often cooked in boiling water and served warm...

 brand from Holden Foods. Farina was originally a Pillsbury product, introduced in 1898.

In 2009, U.S. Mills sold Farina to Malt-O-Meal

Malt-O-Meal

The Malt-O-Meal Company is a privately owned American corporation that produces breakfast cereals. Its corporate headquarters are in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It employs 1,400 people and had estimated sales in 2008 of $548 million.-History:...

.

In December 14, 2009, U.S. Mills, Inc. was acquired by Attune Foods. Four brands are referenced under the Attune Foods banner: Erewhon, Uncle Sam

Uncle Sam Cereal

Uncle Sam Cereal is a ready-to eat breakfast cereal, first introduced in 1908 by U.S. Mills of Omaha, Nebraska. The company relocated to Needham, Massachusetts sometime after the 1970s. Attune Foods out of San Francisco acquired Uncle Sam Cereal in 2009....

, New Morning and Skinner's Raisin Bran.