Sept 12 - General Mills ( GIS ) is in talks to sell its

U.S. and Canadian yogurt operations, which houses brands such as

Yoplait, to French dairy firms Groupe Lactalis and Sodiaal,

respectively, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people

familiar with the matter.

The Cheerios maker did not immediately respond to a Reuters

request for comment on the discussions.

In April, Reuters reported that the company was exploring a

sale of its North America yogurt business in a deal that could

be worth more than $2 billion, and was working with JPMorgan

Chase ( JPM ) to attract interest from potential buyers.

In 2011, General Mills ( GIS ) acquired a 51% stake worth $1.2

billion in Yoplait from private equity firm PAI Partners and

French dairy cooperative Sodiaal.

Sodiaal retained the remaining stake.

Later in 2021, General Mills ( GIS ) sold the European operations of

Yoplait to Sodiaal.

Yoplait faces tough competition in the U.S. from

privately-held yogurt brand Chobani as well as Danone's Dannon

brand.

(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in

Bengaluru)