THE COMPANY
Mars, Incorporated, is one of the world’s largest privately held, family owned companies. The
company produces some of the world’s leading snackfood, food, petcare, beverage, and health
food products, and operates in more than 65 countries. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia,
Mars, Incorporated employs more than 40,000 associates worldwide with more than 100
manufacturing facilities globally. The company’s global sales exceed $21 billion annually.
Consumer Product Portfolio Includes:
SNACKFOOD: (Confectionery, Savory, Granola, Ice Cream)
♦ M&M'S® Brand, 3 MUSKETEERS® Brand, COMBOS® Snacks, DOVE® Chocolate,
STARBURST® Fruit Chews, TWIX® Brand, SKITTLES® Bite Size Candies,
SNICKERS® Bar, MILKY WAY® Bar, KUDOS® Granola Bar, Ice Cream brands
MAIN MEAL: (Rice, Entrees, Organic)
♦ UNCLE BEN'S® Brand Rice and Meals, SEEDS OF CHANGE ® Organic Seeds and Foods
HEALTH: (Snacks)
♦ COCOAVIA® Heart Healthy Snacks, Kid DIDITS® Snacks, Generation Max® Snacks,
G.O.A.T. Foods.
DRINKS
♦ FLAVIA® Hot and Cold Beverage Systems
PETCARE: (Dog, Cat, Bird, Fish, Horse)
♦ PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, SHEBA®, GOODLIFE® Brands
THE LEADER IN COCOA SCIENCE
As one of the world’s largest chocolate manufacturers, Mars, Incorporated takes its responsibility
seriously and strives to understand and advance the science of the major ingredients we use.
Cocoa Flavanols and the Potential Health Benefits – Mars has invested more than 15 years in
the scientific research of cocoa flavanols resulting in over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers
and 30 patents in this area. This science and technology provided the expertise to develop the
proprietary and patented Mars Cocoapro® process, an exclusive and gentle process to retain
much of the naturally occurring cocoa flavanols.
Cocoa Sustainability – Mars has been working to improve the cocoa crop and its growing
conditions for decades. With two Mars scientists working at USDA labs in Beltsville, MD and
Miami, FL, Mars is directly helping to develop more disease-resistant cocoa and natural,
environmentally friendly pest control. Mars just recently announced a global commitment of
800 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 Phone: (908) 852-1000 Fax: (908) 850-2624
08/22/07
$4.5 million to a set of groundbreaking global partnerships with leading international
organizations that provide a broad range of economic, educational and environmental assistance
to West African cocoa farmers and their families.
Cocoa History and Cultural Importance – Mars has been working with academics to uncover
the true history of cocoa and chocolate. While many believe cocoa originated in Mexico or
Central America, an emerging story indicates it may be elsewhere. Some of the research is also
filling the historical gap of chocolate in early colonial America. Mars established the Colonial
Chocolate Society with University of California, Davis, Fort Ticonderoga and Colonial
Williamsburg.
A BRIEF HISTORY
For over 90 years, Mars, Incorporated has been a global provider of high-quality foods, creating
some of the world’s best-loved brands including M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, MILKY WAY®,
UNCLE BEN'S®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, SHEBA® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®.
Today, the company is universally recognized as one of the most efficient, modern companies
that has created new standards for innovative marketing, advertising and manufacturing.
Additionally, the strategic and creative thinking at the company has moved Mars brands into the
strongest positions within the industry. "M&M'S"® Chocolate Candies rank as world’s most
popular confectionery brand and have exceeded well over $1billion in U.S. sales alone;
SNICKERS® Bar holds the title of #1 candy bar in the nation; and PEDIGREE® Brand Food
For Dogs is the world’s #1 pet food.
The history of Mars, Incorporated has two main themes woven throughout – pioneering
innovation and the transfer of successful innovations around the world. This American company
had its humble beginnings in 1911, when Franklin C. Mars started making candy in his kitchen
in Tacoma, Washington. Ten years later, he moved his business to Minneapolis, Minnesota and
in 1923 the MILKY WAY® Bar was first introduced. On a visit to the local drugstore, Frank
Mars, and his son, Forrest had an original idea to produce a portable version of a chocolate
malted milk. The MILKY WAY® Bar known in the rest of the world as the MARS® Bar, was
an immediate success and together with other famous brands like SNICKERS® Bar, has been
the foundation of our global snack food business.
During the war, Mars was the first company to apply modern manufacturing techniques to
parboil rice on a large scale. Six years from its 1943 launch, UNCLE BEN’S® Rice became one
of America’s top selling brands of packaged long grain rice. The unique success of the
UNCLE BEN’S® Brand was transferred to countries around the world, and expanded by
adapting the line of products to the cultural and ethnic tastes locally.
By the ‘70s, Mars’ innovations had defined the main focus of the business in food, petcare,
drinks and vending. The focus of recent decades has been to transfer this success across the
globe. Mars grew from a $300 million turnover at the start of the ‘70s into the over $21 billion
business it is today.
800 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 Phone: (908) 852-1000 Fax: (908) 850-2624
08/22/07