Whether you want to be the first to try new products, or influence future ones, advisory panels are a great way to become involved. There are quite a few available, but here’s one you might not be aware of:

General Mills and Small Planet Foods (Muir Glen and Cascadian Farm organics) have created the
Mills Advisory Panel (MAP). MAP membership is currently open to US residents age 18 and over. Panelists complete online surveys and sample products, and in doing so influence the look, taste, and experience of General Mills and Small Planet Foods products.

Membership and participation is completely free, and has a few perqs too! Here’s more information:

How does MAP work?
For each study, members receive an invitation by email to participate. The panel research will be conducted on the Web. All you need to do is click on the link, or copy and paste the website address into your browser window. Then, simply follow the instructions on the screen to complete the survey. You are never obligated to participate in research.

How often can I participate?
MAP panel members will be invited to participate approximately six to twelve times per year in different types of projects, and no more than fifteen times a year. For each study, you’ll receive an invitation by E-mail to participate.

What’s in it for MAP members?
As a member of the Mills Advisory Panel, you may receive different types of compensation depending on the type of research project you participate in. For many projects, you will be awarded MAP points that can be redeemed for various prizes after you’ve accumulated a minimum number of points. For other types of projects, you may receive a free product to try or some other type of compensation. The invitation for each project will state the compensation.

If you are interested, sign up at
Mills Advisory Panel