Brandtree

Who owns Old El Paso?

Old El Paso is owned by General Mills (the United States, NYSE: GIS), which acquired the brand on 31 October 2001 from Diageo.[1][2] Before General Mills, Old El Paso was owned by Diageo from 1989 to 2001.[2]

Key facts

Current owner
General Mills, Inc. verified
Owned since
· deal details
Acquisition price
$10.5 billion (enterprise value)
Previous owner
Diageo (1989–2001)
Owner HQ
🇺🇸 United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Origin
🇺🇸 United States
Founded
1938
Category
FoodMeals & meal componentsCanned & shelf-stable meals
Parent ticker
NYSE: GIS
Last verified
· 2 sources

About Old El Paso

Old El Paso is a Mexican-style meal kit brand dating to the 1930s, whose taco kits introduced many households outside Mexico to the format. General Mills acquired it with Pillsbury in 2001, and it is one of the largest Mexican food brands in Europe as well as North America.

Ownership timeline of Old El Paso

Owners of Old El Paso from 1989 to 2026 Diageo 1989–2001; General Mills 2001–present Diageo General Mills 19901995200020052010201520202025
  1. 1989 – 2001 Diageo sold 31 October 2001 [2] verified
  2. 2001 – present General Mills acquired 31 October 2001 [1][2] verified

Where Old El Paso sits in General Mills

Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.

Where Old El Paso sits in General Mills Tree of 18 brands under General Mills. General Mills Old El Paso Annie's Betty Crocker Blue Buffalo Cheerios Chex and 12 more

Open the full General Mills ownership tree →

Other brands owned by General Mills in food

See the full General Mills brand portfolio (18) →

Deals involving Old El Paso

Latest news about Old El Paso

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Frequently asked questions

Who is the parent company of Old El Paso?

The parent company of Old El Paso is General Mills, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United States.

Is Old El Paso American?

Yes. Old El Paso originated in the United States in 1938 and its owner, General Mills, is also headquartered in the United States.

When did General Mills buy Old El Paso?

General Mills completed its acquisition of Old El Paso on 31 October 2001, after announcing the deal on 17 July 2000.

Who owned Old El Paso before General Mills?

Before General Mills, Old El Paso was owned by Diageo from 1989 until 2001.

Is Old El Paso still owned by General Mills?

Yes. As of 6 September 2026, Old El Paso is still owned by General Mills. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.

Sources (2) & corrections

Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.

  1. [1] General Mills, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K filed 2026-07-01 — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 10-K, published 1 July 2026; retrieved 6 September 2026.
  2. [2] General Mills, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 10-K; retrieved 6 September 2026.

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