General Mills, Kroger Appetizing

For another Street.com Ratings story on a similar theme, check out It's Time to Play Ketchup.

There are few American brands more recognizable than General Mills (GIS Quote). Its staples include Cheerios, Wheaties, Pillsbury, Chex, Colombo, Betty Crocker and Green Giant. They are weathering the economic storm better than most other brands.

General Mills employs incredible diversification. Simply put, if it is edible, the company probably makes it. Some heavy-hitters, like Progresso soup and breakfast cereals, have plenty of competition from other well-known brands, such as Campbell Soup (CPB Quote) and Kellogg (K Quote). However, the competition has not fared as well as General Mills has in the recession. Shares of Campbell and Kellogg are down 19.2% and 18.4% this year, respectively, while General Mills has risen 7.6%. ...