Brooks Johnson
Business Reporter
Food and manufacturingRaised in Fargo and educated at the University of Montana, Johnson worked at newspapers in Idaho, Washington and Duluth before joining the Minnesota Star Tribune at its relaunched Duluth bureau in 2019. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and their young sons.
Latest from Brooks Johnson
MN Fortune 500
The pandemic propelled 3M’s N95 to international stardom. What’s next?
Minnesota-based 3M still ships millions of respirators, though health care is not the major market it briefly was.
March 11, 2025
Retail
Best Buy boosting online offerings with third-party sellers this summer
The Richfield-based retailer is relaunching its third-party digital marketplace to recreate the success it has seen in Canada. Amazon and Minneapolis-based Target also profit from third-party sellers.
March 6, 2025
Retail
Best Buy CEO says Trump tariffs will drag down the retailer’s sales
The electronics retailer is especially vulnerable to increasing taxes on Chinese imports.
March 4, 2025
MN Fortune 500
General Mills cutting G-Works innovation team, pausing 301 Inc. investments
About 40 employees will lose their jobs as the Golden Valley-based company pivots to a new “strategic growth office.”
March 3, 2025
Economy![Gas was $2.39 at the BP gas station ay 46th Street at Lyndale in South Minneapolis. ] GLEN STUBBE * gstubbe@startribune.com Friday September 4, 2015 Pre-Labor Day gas prices in the U.S. are the lowest in 11 years, and under $2 per gallon in many states, though Minnesota's average is nearly 40 cents higher. Just one station, in Brainerd, was selling at $1.99. Checking on whether that is a promotion. Costco and Sams Clubs, usually the low price leaders, were 15 cents more. With some motorists' tho](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/4U372WPXFGGQGQHPL2CTC4SFUY.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
How Trump tariffs could affect Minnesota consumers and companies
After a one-month postponement, the tariffs against Canada and Mexico are scheduled to begin Tuesday.
March 3, 2025
MN Fortune 500
Hormel CEO says his impending retirement ‘makes sense’ amid big turnaround
Jim Snee said handing his unnamed successor a started but unfinished transformation at the Austin, Minn., food company is “the right thing to do.”
February 27, 2025
MN Fortune 500
3M preaches AI, automation, cost-savings, innovation and more at investor meetup
The Maplewood-based company wants to launch 1,000 new products in the next three years and automate some factory work that could eventually reduce head count by 700 people.
February 26, 2025
MN Fortune 500
3M, facing delivery issues, hires Honeywell supply chain boss
“Our on-time-in-full performance out of the factories has not been that great,” CEO Bill Brown said last month.
February 25, 2025
Economy
How Trump tariffs could affect Minnesota consumers and companies
After a one-month postponement, the tariffs against Canada and Mexico are scheduled to begin Tuesday.
March 3, 2025
MN Fortune 500
Hormel CEO says his impending retirement ‘makes sense’ amid big turnaround
Jim Snee said handing his unnamed successor a started but unfinished transformation at the Austin, Minn., food company is “the right thing to do.”
February 27, 2025
MN Fortune 500
3M preaches AI, automation, cost-savings, innovation and more at investor meetup
The Maplewood-based company wants to launch 1,000 new products in the next three years and automate some factory work that could eventually reduce head count by 700 people.
February 26, 2025
MN Fortune 500
3M, facing delivery issues, hires Honeywell supply chain boss
“Our on-time-in-full performance out of the factories has not been that great,” CEO Bill Brown said last month.
February 25, 2025