Hard white wheat and Gold Medal Flour: General Mills' contracting program

General Mills produces Gold Medal Flour, the largest branded flour product in the United States. General Mills wants to switch from using hard red wheat to hard white wheat to produce Gold Medal Flour. Hard white wheat is not widely produced in the United States. To ensure a stable supply, General Mills is creating an extensive contracting program in the northern and central Great Plains. The objective of this case is for students to understand alternative methods for procuring wheat and the importance of wheat variety functionality.