General Mills gets its Kix trying to grab the spotlight as the US's #1 breakfast cereal maker (wrangling for the top spot every year with uber-rival Kellogg). But #1 or not, the company has supermarket-aisles-full of kid-friendly products. Its Big G Cereals include the well-known brands Cheerios, Chex, and Wheaties. Its products are manufactured in 15 countries and available in more than 100. General Mills operates 70 production facilities (down from 79 in 2008, the closures were a cost-controlling measure) -- 44 in the US, 11 in the Asia Pacific region, three in Canada, seven in Europe, four in Latin America and Mexico, and one in South Africa.

Technically, in the beginning there was heaven and earth, but Origin Enterprises knows that agriculture and food weren't far behind. The company's agri-nutrition division includes operations devoted to feed ingredients, fertilizer blending and distribution, integrated on-farm agronomy, and marine proteins and oils (such as fishmeal and fish oil manufacturing and distribution). Agri-nutrition subsidiaries include Goulding Chemicals (fertilizer production) and R&H Hall (animal feed). Its food business includes the Odlums, Shamrock, and Roma brands, which specialize in home baking, snacking, and Italian food ingredients. Origin Enterprises is 70% owned by ARYZTA, a European maker of specialty baked products.

While some might be green with envy, Grower's Express is green with veggies. Growing some 40 different crops, its primary offerings include asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, green onions, iceberg lettuce, and strawberries. Headquartered in California's Salinas Valley, the group also has fields in Arizona, Oregon, and Idaho, as well as in Mexico so that its crops can be grown year round. The company purchased the licensing rights from General Mills for the Green Giant Fresh brand in 2009. In addition to Green Giant, the grower also packs under the Western Express, Capurro, and Topless labels.

The Allen family counts its chickens before and after they're hatched. Allen Family Foods is a vertically-integrated poultry operation that includes breeding, hatching, feed milling, and processing of its chickens. The Delaware-headquartered company operates its 28 of its own "growout" farms and contracts with more than 500 independent farmers, who raise the rest of the company's chickens. Allen offers whole frying, roasting, and rotisserie chickens, chicken parts, and tray packs It sells 600 million pounds of chicken a year to food retailers in the US and throughout the rest of the world. The company's fresh and frozen chicken is distributed in the US by Allen's 400-vehicle truck fleet.

Guida's Milk & Ice Cream is one of the largest independent dairies in New England. Since 1886 Guida's has had the reputation of supplying the finest products and service to our large customer base. With a fleet of over 200 vehicles, Guida's Milk & Ice Cream delivers fresh dairy and dairy related products throughout Southern New England. Our service area includes Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, northern New Jersey and New York State including Long Island. Emphasis on quality control cannot be overstated. With a 18-day code on all of our fluid milk products, Guida's can guarantee the utmost integrity of its product line. Guida's also processes a full line of ice cream mixes, fruit juices, fruit drinks and water to meet all of our customers' needs.

Chosen for its Mediterranean-style environment, the Tuxca valley offers warm, dry weather all year-round, ideal for providing you with the best vine ripened tomatoes during any season. Who knew that nature could produce sweet tomatoes in a desert climate? Desert Glory did. The company produces bagged on-the-vine fresh tomatoes and cherry tomatoes under the brand name NatureSweet. Its organic products are grown year-round in a controlled growing environment in Mexico. Desert Glory's tomatoes are sold to retail grocery providers, as well as to restaurant and other foodservice companies throughout the US. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the company's customers include retail chains such as Kroger, SAMS CLUB, Wal-Mart, Super Target, Whole Foods, and Safeway.

Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative walks the beat for the sugar beet. Minn-Dak serves sugar beet growers in the Red River Valley of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Located in Wahpeton, North Dakota, the co-op processes the sugar beets into sugar and products such as molasses and beet pulp pellets (used in animal feed); the products are then marketed through agents worldwide. The co-op's Minn-Dak Yeast segment produces fresh bakers' yeast. Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative is owned by its farmer/members, a group of some 480 sugar beet growers.

The cows at Laura's Lean Beef aren't particularly skinny, but they haven't been fattened up artificially. The company provides fresh, naturally raised beef products under the Laura's Lean Beef brand to approximately 6,500 natural food stores and conventional grocery retailers in 47 states nationwide. Its cattle are not given growth hormones, and its feed program is based on grazing and natural feeds. Additionally, Laura's Lean Beef does not add fillers, additives, or water and salt. Aside from the usual cuts of beef, the company also offers frozen beef patties and fully cooked entrees including beef pot roast au jus and shredded beef with barbecue sauce. The company is a subsidiary of Meyer Natural Angus.

Compass Group is the world's largest contract foodservices provider with operations in more than 50 countries. It provides hospitality and foodservice for a variety of businesses and such public-sector clients as cultural institutions, hospitals, and schools. It also offers vending, catering, and concessions services for a number of events and sports venues. Its foodservice brands include Chartwells, Crothall, and Levy Restaurants. In addition, Compass is a franchisee of such well-known chains as Burger King and Starbucks.

The family- and employee-owned Joy Cone Co. was founded in 1918 by Lebanese immigrant, Albert George, as the George & Thomas Cone Company. Joy Cone company makes and markets ice cream cones for both retailers and foodservice customers. Joy Cone produces more than 1.5 billion cake, sugar, and waffle cones, cups, and bowls per year. It delivers products in the US and Canada using its own fleet of trucks. Joy Cone company also ships its products worldwide and offers custom product development and manufacture. Joy Cone operates from two locations-one in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, and another in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Inviting Real Estate Agents, Job Placements Agents, Educational Institutes, Software Service Providers, Real Estate Builders, Marriage Bureaus, Travel Agents, Restaurant Owners, Health & Fitness Centers and other Local Businesses to Post a FREE Classified Advertisement on Cootera.com Classifieds Website.