General Mills Hispanic Marketing Platform Que Rica Vida Renews Successful Partnership with Univision

General Mills Hispanic Marketing Platform Que Rica Vida Renews Successful Partnership with Univision

Two new chefs join the Betty Crocker Kitchen's Cocina Hispana

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- General Mills Inc., one of the world's leading food companies, has renewed its successful partnership with Univision Communications, the country's leading Spanish-language media company, and will continue to expand the reach of Que Rica Vida, its Hispanic marketing platform, through on-air vignettes, online and mobile elements and special cooking presentations. Que Rica Vida (What A Good Life) is General Mills' popular Spanish-language lifestyle magazine and website, and the cornerstone of the company's four year old, multi-brand Hispanic marketing initiative.

Karla Martinez, co-host of Univision's morning show, Despierta America, (Wake Up, America) will continue to act as official spokesperson for the Que Rica Vida partnership with the network. This year, she will participate in yet another Bisquick -sponsored sweepstakes. The winner will receive a trip for four to a world-famous theme park in Orlando, Florida, including an on-site breakfast with Ms. Martinez. The charismatic television personality will also star once again in a special series of 30-second vignettes that will be aired on Univision, providing viewers with cooking and nutrition-related tips featuring the Que Rica Vida participating General Mills brands.

As part of Que Rica Vida's increasingly important on-air and on-line resources, General Mills has also added two new chefs to its Cocina Hispana, the Hispanic section of its iconic Betty Crocker Kitchens. The talented new additions, Cristina Martin del Campo and Doreen Colondres, will assist Executive Chef Adriana Amione in preparing new Hispanic-inspired recipes using General Mills brand products. Both chefs will appear on Univision's Despierta America morning show throughout the year to demonstrate the new recipes and will help judge Que Rica Vida's new online recipe contest, "La Receta De Mi Cocina" (My Kitchen's Recipe), which will be kicked off in the coming weeks. They will also blog on a regular basis on www.QueRicaVida.com.

Chef Cristina is a gourmet chef and restaurateur who acquired much of her cooking skills at Paris' famed Cordon Bleu Academy. Over the span of a 19-year career, she has owned her own sushi restaurant in Mexico City and developed thousands of original recipes. She is currently the Executive Chef and co-owner of Just Catering Co. in Cancun, Mexico. As the mother of two young children, Chef Cristina is well aware of the challenges faced daily by Hispanic moms who oftentimes must juggle work and home obligations while still pleasing their kids and husbands at the nightly dinner table.

Chef and blogger Doreen is determined to revolutionize the old cooking show concepts with her untiring passion for fine food, charisma, youthful beauty and unique personality. A natural chef since childhood, her biggest goal is to convince the new generation that cooking is fun, relaxing, and above all, she wants them to believe that The Kitchen Doesn't Bite! (La Cocina No Muerde) - the name of her unique website. Since its launch a few months ago, www.LaCocinaNoMuerde.com has received more than 150,000 visitors as well as important reviews and articles without promotion or advertising of any kind. Chef Doreen receives dozens of daily e-mails from visitors who feel a real connection with the concept and need her to "rescue" them in the kitchen.

"Our research shows that Que Rica Vida is playing an ever more important role in helping Latina women in their daily lives," said General Mills Multicultural Marketing Director Rudy Rodriquez. "We have been very pleased with the results of our partnership with Univision over the past year, and hope to expand it even more, moving forward."

About Que Rica Vida

Now in its fourth year, the Que Rica Vida initiative is an important resource designed to provide Latina moms with culturally relevant lifestyle information and expert advice on Education, Holiday Occasions, Health & Wellness and Family issues of great importance to Hispanic families in America. The program was developed by General Mills to help the Hispanic mother succeed in creating a healthier, easier, richer life for her and her family. The cornerstone of the Que Rica Vida initiative is its free quarterly lifestyle magazine and website of the same name, www.quericavida.com

About General Mills

One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in over 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios , Haagen-Dazs , Nature Valley , Betty Crocker , Pillsbury , Green Giant , Old El Paso , Progresso , Cascadian Farm , Muir Glen and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had fiscal 2009 global net sales of US$15.9 billion, including the company's $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales. Visit www.generalmills.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Hispania Public Relations, Inc.

CONTACT: Sergio Lopez-Miro of Hispania Public Relations, +1-305-271-5680
ext. 22, or Kimberley Bow Sundy of General Mills Brand P.R.,
+1-305-763-764-2591

Web Site: http://www.hispaniapublicrelations.com/
http://www.generalmills.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment