US cereal maker General Mills has posted a rise in quarterly earnings, helped by the introduction of more than 70 new products.


The Minneapolis-based company reported earnings of US$227m, or 59 cents a share, for the first quarter to 24 August, compared to $176m, or 47 cents a share, a year earlier.


Excluding special items, the company said it earned 62 cents a share, compared with 56 cents a share a year earlier.


On that basis, analysts had been expecting, on average, earnings of 62 cents share, reported Reuters.