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Mars, Incorporated: History in the Making

For more than five generations, Mars has evolved to create products and services that people (and their pets) love. Our storied history began in a kitchen when two men discovered their passion for food and created beloved confections that stood the test of time. However, in the more than 100 years since, we’ve set our sights on also making a better life for people and pets alike. We're powered by science and the desire to be bold in order to create a better world for us all, today. As a family-owned, global business, we have the unique ability to have a big impact on the world. This also bestows us with the responsibility to make sure we do right by the many communities where we work and live — for the next hundred years and beyond.

Mars is, and always has been, a principles-led business. While we are proud of our past, we have our sights on the future. Everything we do is with a vision to contribute positively to the people and places that our business touches. And it’s not just all talk — we take action. Not only do we endeavor to help create and discover solutions for climate change, we are working toward making scientific leaps in pet nutrition and behavior, as well as finding new and innovative ways to feed the world. We are committed to being a leader who discovers and drives solutions to challenges that impact the world.

It’s a bold purpose, but our principles are backed by our actions. We have been in the business of diverse innovation for a long time, and we are confident that our work today will create the world we want tomorrow.

1880

Mars 1883 Frank C. Mars with dad Luther, mom Elva and sister Verna, Litchfield, MN, BW_2a
Mars 1883 Frank C. Mars with dad Luther, mom Elva and sister Verna, Litchfield, MN, BW_2a

1883

Mars

Mars Founder Is Born

Frank C. Mars is born in Glenwood, Pope County, Minnesota. As a young boy he contracts polio, which prevents him from being able to walk to school. His mother, Elva, teaches him his lessons in their kitchen and also teaches him how to hand-dip chocolate.

1890

Mars 1891_William Wrigley, Jr  1861-1932_3a
Mars 1891_William Wrigley, Jr  1861-1932_3a

1891

Mars Wrigley

William Wrigley Jr. Arrives in Chicago and Begins Sales Career

William Wrigley Jr. comes to Chicago in the spring of 1891. He is 29 years old, has $32 in his pocket and a great talent for sales. He starts out in the baking powder business, and one day Mr. Wrigley gets the idea to offer merchants free chewing gum with each can of baking powder. The rest is history.

Packages of Juicy Fruit® and Spearmint Chewing Gum from 1893.

1893

Mars Wrigley

Juicy Fruit and Spearmint Chewing Gums Debut

Juicy Fruit®, the oldest brand in the Wrigley family, was launched just a few months ahead of Wrigley’s Spearmint. Today, Juicy Fruit is the No. 1 fruit gum brand in the United States.

1900

Mars 1902_B_Family_05_5a
Mars 1902_B_Family_05_5a

1902

Mars

Frank C. Mars Marries

Frank C. Mars marries Ethel G. Kissack, a school teacher, in Minnesota. He has been selling Taylor’s Molasses Chips in Minnesota since he was 19.

Forrest E. Mars, Sr. in 1904 when he was an infant.

1904

Mars

Forrest E. Mars, Sr. Is Born

Forrest Edward Mars, Sr., is born in Wadena, Minnesota

1910

Mars ConfectioneryLanding Section2_MarsHistory_2f_FPO
Mars ConfectioneryLanding Section2_MarsHistory_2f_FPO

1911

Mars

Mars Founder Creates and Sells Butter Cream Candy

Frank C. Mars starts making and selling butter cream candy from his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington.

A package of Doublemint® gum introduced in 1914.

1914

Mars Wrigley

Doublemint® introduced

The gum is originally advertised as having “Double Value” with "Double Strength Peppermint Flavor, Double Wrapped — Always Fresh and Clean.”

1920

Mars AllAboutMars_Section4_1920frankcmarsyoungeryears_4a_FPO
Mars AllAboutMars_Section4_1920frankcmarsyoungeryears_4a_FPO

1920

Mars

Mars Founder Begins First Candy Business

Frank C. Mars relocates to Minneapolis and finds room to grow. He starts a basket candies business, The Nougat House. It produces Patricia Chocolates, named after Frank and Veronica’s (Frank’s second wife) daughter.

The iconic Wrigley Building in Chicago from 1920.

1920

Mars Wrigley

Iconic Chicago Skyscraper Rises on Michigan Avenue

Construction begins on the historic Wrigley Building. A symbol of Chicago featured in countless articles, books, films and television programs, the historic Wrigley Building and its distinctive towers are an architectural favorite among Chicago's residents and visitors.

A Mars factory in 1922 that once held the MAR-O-BAR® Company.

1922

Mars Wrigley

Business Grows to Include New MAR-O-BAR Candy

Frank introduces the MAR-O-BAR® to his candy range. Known as the MAR-O-BAR Company, Minneapolis, the company is doing business of less than $100,000 per year. Unfortunately, the MAR-O-BAR proves too delicate to stand up well under transportation.

Mars 1923_Early Slogan Milky Way_5a

1923

Mars Wrigley

Father and Son Collaborate and Launch New Candy Bar

MILKY WAY® Bar introduced. After getting the idea for a “malted milk in a candy bar” from a discussion with his son Forrest Sr., Frank creates the Milky Way bar in 1923. Its success leads to the hiring of a full-time sales staff.

Mars 1929_Chicago Factory_6a

1929

Mars

Mars Moves to Chicago

Mars relocates and opens a full-production plant in Chicago. Close to 200 Associates move with Mars. With a more centralized location and railroad access, business booms. This is also the year Frank’s only son, Forrest E. Mars, Sr., officially enters the family business.

1930

Snickers ad from 1930s
Snickers ad from 1930s

1930

Mars Wrigley

Mars Brings an Iconic Candy Bar to Market

The SNICKERS® brand is launched.

1932_Slough, UK Office_4a

1932

Mars

Forrest E. Mars Sr. Moves to UK

In 1932, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” — this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated, today.

Mars 1932.3 3 Musketeers - Early-Edit_3a

1932

Mars Wrigley

Americans Find 3 Musketeers® in Stores

3 MUSKETEERS® was introduced to the U.S. market to great success.

Mars 1934_Frank C. Mars, Founder_5a

1934

Mars

Mars Founder Dies

On April 8, Frank C. Mars dies.

The inside of a U.K. factory producing CHAPPIE® canned dog food from 1935.

1935

Mars Petcare

Mars Adds First Petcare Business to Growing Portfolio

Mars enters the Petcare business by acquiring U.K.-based Chappell Brothers, Ltd., makers of CHAPPIE® canned dog food.

An advertisement from 1936 for chocolate candy Maltesers®.

1936

Mars Wrigley

Longstanding Favorite Chocolate Candy Debuts

MALTESERS® chocolate balls introduced in Europe.

A 1939 billboard of the Doublemint® twins debut.

1939

Mars Wrigley

Doublemint Twins Debut

The Doublemint® twins have been part of one of the most successful and long-lasting advertising campaigns ever created. The distinctive billboard campaigns created in the late 1930s by Wrigley art director Otis Shepard fixed the Doublemint twins concept in the American imagination.

Mars 1939_Kit-e-Kat_1953 UK_8a

1939

Mars Petcare

Pet Products Expand With Cat Food

Cat food, KITEKAT®, is first advertised in the U.K.

Mars advertisement from 1939 bridging a local radio quiz show to a bar of the same name, Dr. IQ.

1939

Mars Wrigley

Tying Candy to a Quiz Show

Mars experiments with the new advertising medium by sponsoring a local radio quiz show, Dr. IQ. The Mars Chicago plant temporarily manufactured a bar of the same name, an early example of tying product to advertising.

1940

Mars Wrigley factory from 1940 that established M&M Limited in Newark, New Jersey.
Mars Wrigley factory from 1940 that established M&M Limited in Newark, New Jersey.

1940

Mars Wrigley

Laying the Foundation for M&M’S®

Forrest E. Mars, Sr. returns to the United States and establishes M&M Limited in Newark, New Jersey.

Two packages of the first M&M’S® Plain Chocolate Candies.

1941

Mars Wrigley

The Life of the Lentils Begins

The first M&M’S® Plain Chocolate Candies are made for the U.S. Military.

Mars 1942_1940's UB ad front of billboard_3a

1942

Mars Food

Rice Marks a New Mars Market

Mars enters the rice category and opens the first commercial rice parboiling plant in Houston, Texas, entering the food business. The company becomes known as Uncle Ben’s, Incorporated, in 1959.

 Unity With the Troops Mars 1944 v1

1944

Unity With the Troops

Unity With the Troops

During World War II, Wrigley led an unusual move to support U.S. troops and protect the reputation of the company's brands. Because of wartime rationing, Wrigley could not make enough top-quality gum for everyone. Rather than compromise the high quality that people expected, the company took Wrigley's Spearmint®, Doublemint® and Juicy Fruit® off the civilian market and dedicated the entire output of these brands to the U.S. Armed Forces.

A tin of M&M’S® Plain Chocolate Candies from 1945.

1945

Mars Wrigley

M&M’S® Makes Its Big Move

The M&M’S® brand is launched to the general public and grows to become a $1 billion global brand.

1950

Mars 1950_1942.08.11 Patent for M&M's_1a
Mars 1950_1942.08.11 Patent for M&M's_1a

1950

Mars Wrigley

A Stamp of Authenticity

The first Ms are printed on M&M’S® plain chocolate candies. To ensure consumers get the “real thing,” the slogan “Look for the M on every piece” is created.

A can of PAL® food for dogs wrapped in paper.

1954

Mars Petcare

A New Food for Dogs in the UK

PAL® food for dogs is launched in the U.K. under the name MEET®. This is changed to PAL® in 1959.

A vending machine being installed for Mars confectionery vending business in 1955.

1955

Mars Drinks

Drinks on Demand Expand the Business

Vendepac was established in Slough, England. This extended Mars into the confectionery vending business. They began installing vending machines in industrial and commercial sites. Eventually Vendepac was renamed Four Square, and subsequently, Mars Drinks.

Mars Whiskas sRGB

1958

Mars Petcare

A New Brand for Cats in the UK

WHISKAS® Brand cat food was introduced in the U.K.

A M&M’S® plant in Hackettstown, New Jersey from 1958.

1958

Mars Wrigley

M&M’S® Drive Company Growth

The success of M&M’S® plain chocolate candies leads to the opening of a new plant in Hackettstown, New Jersey.

The Interior of the new Mars, Incorporated corporate office in Washington, D.C.

1959

Mars

Corporate Headquarters Relocate

Forrest E. Mars, Sr. moved the corporate office of Mars, Incorporated, from Newark, New Jersey, to Washington, D.C.

1960

Joan and Jane Boyd, the first Doublemint® Twins first appear on television in 1960.
Joan and Jane Boyd, the first Doublemint® Twins first appear on television in 1960.

1960

Mars Wrigley

Doublemint Twins Take Center

Joan and Jane Boyd were the first Doublemint® Twins to appear on television, starring in commercials for four years until their retirement in 1964.

Mars 1960_May 16, Daily Express Mars Bar ad, UK_1a

1960

Mars Wrigley

New Slogan Differentiates Mars Bars

The advertising slogan, “A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play” is first used in the U.K.

Mars 1960 Pedigree CHUM ad, UK_3a

1960

Mars Petcare

New UK Dog Food Brand Debuts

CHUM® dog food is launched in the U.K.

The first confectionery plant in Veghel, the Netherlands, UK in 1962

1962

Mars

Manufacturing Operations Expand in The Netherlands, UK

Forrest E. Mars, Jr. builds and manages the first confectionery plant in Veghel, the Netherlands. Mars Foods segment began manufacturing products in Kings Lynn, England, and marketing campaigns for pet food and other segments began in France and Sweden.

Mars peanut products being produced on a plant conveyor belt.

1964

Mars Wrigley

Mars Establishes High-Quality, Local Source of Peanuts

Mars, Incorporated, builds a site called Peanut Craftsmen in the heart of Albany, Georgia’s peanut belt to ensure a reliable source of high-quality nuts for SNICKERS® candy bars and M&M’S® peanut chocolate candies in the U.S.

Veterinarian working on a document beside a cat eating pet food.

1965

Mars Petcare

Pet Research Center Opens

The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition is established in the U.K. to research the dietary needs and preferences of pets, helping to improve pet nutrition and health.

Pet food being manufactured at a Mars plant in Wodonga, Australia.

1967

Mars Petcare

Australia Plant Begins Pet Food Production

Pet food manufacturing began at Uncle Ben's of Australia in Wodonga, Australia.

Two different cans of Kal Kan pet food from 1968.

1968

Mars Petcare

Mars Expands Pet Food Business into U.S. Market

Mars acquires Kal Kan Foods in Los Angeles, California, and begins its association with American dogs, cats and their owners.

Mars 1969_Forrest E. Mars, Sr. portrait by Douglas Glass_10a

1969

Mars

Pioneering Leader Retires

Forrest E. Mars, Sr. retires.

1970

Mars 1972_Kal Kan Vernon, CA Profile of a Company 1982_1a
Mars 1972_Kal Kan Vernon, CA Profile of a Company 1982_1a

1972

Mars Petcare

Kal Kan Production Begins at New Ohio Facility

Kal Kan began production at a new site in Columbus, Ohio, a central location for growth in the midwestern and eastern U.S. markets.

A pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit® gum from 1972.

1974

Mars Wrigley

Bar Code Technology Begins with Juicy Fruit® Gum

In June 1974, a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit® gum was the first product to be scanned with a bar code. This heralded a new era of automation in supermarket shopping. Since that first pack of gum, black and white bar codes, now well-known, have helped track the sales of billions of items.

Mars Associate working with an UNCLE BEN’S® rice product.

1977

Mars Food

First European UNCLE BEN’S® Rice Mill Opens

The first European rice mill for UNCLE BEN’S® products was built in Olen, Belgium. In the same year the product launches in Brazil.

1980

Original Skittles Fruit Chew U.S. logo from 1981.
Original Skittles Fruit Chew U.S. logo from 1981.

1981

Mars Wrigley

Skittles Starts Manufacturing in U.S.

Skittles began manufacturing in the U.S. Originally produced in the U.K., Skittles was first imported to the U.S. in 1974. In 2009, Skittles was transferred to Wrigley.

Advertisement for M&M’S® chocolate candies being selected as the first candy in space.

1981

Mars Wrigley

Astronauts Choose M&M’S® for Shuttle Mission

Mars becomes the first candy in space when M&M’S® chocolate candies are chosen by the first space shuttle astronauts to be included in their food supply.

Front entrance sign for the Mars Center for Cocoa Science in Bahia Brazil.

1982

Mars

Mars Opens Cocoa Research Center

The Mars Center for Cocoa Science opens in Bahia, Brazil, with the goal of developing more sustainable cocoa varieties and farming techniques to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and ensure future cocoa supplies.

Aerial view of the Mars, Incorporated plant in Kings Lynn, England.

1982

Mars Food

Ready-to-Heat Rice Ready for Market

The first canned Ready to Heat rice for UNCLE BEN’S® begins production in Kings Lynn, England.

The Five Principles logo for Mars, Incorporated.

1983

Mars

Mars Prints ‘The Five Principles’

Mars publishes its first booklet on The Five Principles, which is distributed globally across the corporation.

Mars 1984_M&M's Sports Illustrated Olympics sponsor advertisement_8a

1984

Mars Wrigley

Iconic Mars Brands Join Olympic Lineup

M&M’S® plain and peanut chocolate candies and SNICKERS® candy bar are announced as the “Official Snack Foods of the Olympic Games.”

Mars 1984_McLean Virginia Office pic_9a

1984

Mars

Mars Relocates to McLean, Virginia

The corporate office of Mars, Incorporated, moves into a custom-built, self-owned office space in McLean, Virginia.

A pack of Wrigley Extra® sugar-free gum in 1984.

1984

Mars Wrigley

Mars Launches First Sugar-Free Gum

Wrigley introduces Extra®, its first sugar-free gum in the United States.

Dolmio logo with illustrated character holding a plate of pasta.

1985

Mars Food

Mars Adds Pasta to Its Food Portfolio

Pasta offerings, including spaghetti, tortellini and ravioli, launch in Australia under the name ALORA®, later rebranded as Dolmio in Europe in 1986.

Two boxes of DoveBar frozen snacks from 1986.

1986

Mars Wrigley

DoveBar Joins Product Lineup at Mars

Mars enters the frozen snack business through the acquisition of DoveBar International in the U.S.

An advertisement for the Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program in 1989.

1989

Mars Wrigley

Wrigley Creates Oral Health Program

The Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program is established. The Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients' oral health through one additional simple and enjoyable step: chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating and drinking.

Mars Cesar Logo sRGB

1989

Mars Petcare

Cesar Officially Launches

CESAR® brand launches to the delight of hungry dogs across the world.

1990

Logo for the 1990 football World Cup in Italy.
Logo for the 1990 football World Cup in Italy.

1990

Mars Wrigley

Mars Bar® and M&M’S® Join the World Cup Squad

The MARS® candy bar and M&M’S® chocolate candies are announced as official sponsors of the football World Cup in Italy.

M&M’S® billboard in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

1991

Mars Wrigley

4 Mars Brands Available in CIS

More than 23 tons of SNICKERS®, MILKY WAY®, MARS® and RAIDER® candy bars go on sale for the first time in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Mars, Incorporated food sponsor advertisement for the 1992 Olympic Games.

1992

Mars

Mars Serves as Single Sponsor for the Olympic Games

Mars, Incorporated, becomes the single worldwide food sponsor of the 1992 Olympic Games.

Consumer at a grocery store grabbing a pack of M&M’S® in Beijing, China.

1993

Mars Wrigley

Mars Opens First Facility in China

Mars China opens its first manufacturing facility in Beijing, China, manufacturing DOVE® brand chocolate with fruit and nuts.

Mars Banfield_Horiz_Tag_CMYK_2016

1994

Mars Petcare

Mars Purchases First Shares in Banfield® Pet Hospital

Mars invests in its first shares of Banfield® Pet Hospital.

Mars 1995_Pedigree, russian copy_5a

1995

Mars Petcare

Pet Food Available in Russia

A whole new nation of pet lovers and their pets benefit from PEDIGREE® dog food followed by WHISKAS® cat food as Mars pet food moves into Russia.

Mars EdgeLandingPage_Section4_CocoaFlavanolResearch_4c_FPO

1995

Mars

Scientists Publish Cocoa Flavanol Research

Mars, Incorporated scientists publish their first paper on COCOA Flavanol measurement.

New York City’s Empire State Building lit in M&M’S® new blue color candy.

1995

Mars Wrigley

Empire State Building Unveils New Blue M&M’S® Arrival

Over 11 million M&M’S fans voiced their choice — and a solid majority backed blue. The new hue edged out pink and purple to replace the tan M&M’S Chocolate Candies in the U.S. To honor this momentous occasion, the lights at the iconic Empire State Building in New York City heralded BLUE’s arrival.

Aerial view from 1982 of the Mars, Incorporated plant in Kings Lynn, England.

1995

Mars Food

Salsa Debuts in UK

A range of UNCLE BEN’S® salsa dips launches in the U.K. as a new food factory opens in the Netherlands

The front advertisement and ingredients to a WHISKAS® cat food package.

1995

Mars Petcare

Two Brands of Pet Food Available in China

PEDIGREE® dog food followed by WHISKAS® cat food are introduced to pet lovers in China, as production commences in Huairou.

Mars 1998_SOC100% certified organic Food Products list, US_11a

1998

Mars Food

Mars Finds Organic Food Opportunity With Acquisition

Mars enters the organic food business with the purchase of Seeds of Change

Forrest. E. Mars, Sr. at the age of 96.

1999

Mars

Creative and Innovative Business Leader Dies

Forrest E. Mars, Sr. dies at the age of 96 in Miami, Florida.

2000

Mars 2000 M&M Capsule Millennium_2a
Mars 2000 M&M Capsule Millennium_2a

2000

Mars Wrigley

M&M’S® Kicks Off Y2K

M&M’S® chocolate candies become “The Official Candy of the New Millennium.” MM is the Roman numeral for 2000

Mars Buys French Food Company

2000

Mars Food

Mars Buys French Food Company

Mars buys EBLY®, a manufacturer of wheat-based products in France

Three different colored packages of Orbit® gum.

2001

Mars Wrigley

Popular Gum Brand Enters U.S. Market

Already a top-selling brand across Europe, the launch of Orbit® gum in the U.S. was a huge success.

The ROYAL CANIN® logo and a man with his golden retriever.

2002

Mars Petcare

Royal Canin® Joins Pet Food Portfolio

Mars expands its pet business with the acquisition of ROYAL CANIN®, a French pet food company.

Mars Symbioscience logo on an office wall.

2005

Mars

Launch of Global Health and Life Sciences Business

Mars Symbioscience launches as an incubator of health business ideas and focuses on plantcare, dog genetics and cocoa flavanols.

Four individual packages of Altoids®, Life Savers®, Creme Savers® and Sugus®.

2005

Mars Wrigley

Iconic Confectionary Brands Join Portfolio

In June 2005, Wrigley added the Altoids®, Life Savers®, Creme Savers® and Sugus® brands to its expanding portfolio of confectionery products.

Packages of American Heritage Chocolate on shelving.

2006

Mars Wrigley

Mars Creates Heritage Line of Chocolate

Fashioned off an ingredient list from 1750, American Heritage Chocolate is an authentically historic chocolate made from ingredients available in the 18th century. It’s sold exclusively at fine gift shops at historic sites, museums, historic inns in the U.S., Canada and online.

Mars Mars Brand Logos Web Petcare Greenies Small

2006

Mars Petcare

GREENIES™ Joins Product Lineup

Mars adds GREENIES™ to its portfolio.

Extra® and Orbit® sugar-free gum inside a dentist white coat pocket ADA Accepted logo.

2007

Mars Wrigley

ADA Awards Sugar-Free Chewing Gum Seal of Acceptance

The American Dental Association awarded its Seal of Acceptance to chewing gum for the first time, recognizing sugar-free Orbit®, Extra® and Eclipse® as beneficial to oral health. Today, the FDI World Dental Federation and approximately 20 national dental associations worldwide recognize the oral care benefits of chewing sugar-free gum.

Logo for WISDOM PANEL® HEALTH canine DNA tests.

2007

Mars Petcare

Mars Launches Canine DNA Test

Mars Veterinary launches first WISDOM PANEL ® HEALTH canine DNA tests.

Nutro Products, Inc adult dog food packaging.

2007

Mars Petcare

Mars Acquires Natural Pet Food Company

Mars enters the natural pet food segment with the acquisition of Nutro Products, Inc.

Banfield Pet hospital veterinarian petting a cat.

2007

Mars Petcare

Mars Purchases Stake in Banfield® Pet Hospital

Mars acquires ownership stake in Banfield® Pet Hospital.

Child under 12 years of age drinking from a blue cup.

2007

Mars

Mars Leads Effort to Stop Advertising to Children

Mars establishes the Mars Marketing Code and becomes the first food company to voluntarily stop advertising food and snack products to children under 12 years of age.

A package of 5® sugarfree gum called “Cobalt.”

2007

Mars Wrigley

Wrigley Sells First Envelope Package for Gum

5® Gum makes its U.S. debut. The gum is sold in a slick 15-stick envelope package, a first for the gum category.

UTZ CERTIFIED logo with cocoa pods.

2008

Mars Wrigley

Mars Joins Movement for Sustainable Cocoa

Mars joins UTZ CERTIFIED “Good Inside Cocoa Program” to create global certification standards for sustainably grown cocoa in West Africa.

Blue pack of Wrigley Orbit® gum with 14 tabs.

2008

Mars Wrigley

Mars Acquires Largest Chewing Gum Company

Mars becomes the world’s leading gum manufacturer with the acquisition of the William Wrigley, Jr. Company.

A large tray of SHEBA® cat food.

2009

Mars Petcare

Mars Unveils First LEED-Certified Petfood Facility in Arkansas

Mars Petcare opens the doors to the first LEED Certified pet food manufacturing facility in the world.

Signage for the “Sustainable Cocoa Clinic” in Des Kambori Kec. Bupon Kab. Luwu.

2009

Mars

Mars Prioritizes Sustainable Cocoa Farming

Mars is the first global chocolate company to commit to fundamentally changing the way sustainable cocoa farming practices are advanced by aiming to certify its entire cocoa supply as being produced in a sustainable manner by 2020.

DOVE® Promises Dark Chocolate with front-of-pack nutrition labeling.

2009

Mars

Prominent Nutrition Information Appears on All Packaging

Mars is the first confectionery company to launch front-of-pack nutrition labeling globally.

A Mars Associate wearing safety gear working on solar panels.

2009

Mars

Mars Announces Sustainability Commitments

Mars announces its commitment to make its operations Sustainable in a Generation (zero carbon, water and waste impact from its operations by 2040).

2010

Palm oil fruit with multicolor berries.
Palm oil fruit with multicolor berries.

2010

Mars

Mars Makes Strong Commitment to Sustainable Sourcing

Mars commits to source 100 percent of its palm oil from certified sources by 2015, and 100 percent of fish and seafood products from sustainable sources by 2020.

A collection of cocoa pods growing on a cocoa tree.

2010

Mars

Mars Publishes Early Cocoa Genome Sequencing Results

Mars shares preliminary results of its efforts to sequence the cocoa genome to help develop cocoa varieties that are higher yielding, more robust and resistant to drought and disease, which will help cocoa farmers earn a better living.

Mars 2010_GoodnessKnowsDSC_2871_4a

2010

Mars Food

Mars Introduces Snack Squares in U.S.

GoodnessKNOWS®, luscious snack squares in three flavors, launched in the U.S.

Mars 2014 IAMS OPTION 2_8a

2014

Mars Petcare

Mars Acquires 3 Popular Pet Food Brands

Mars acquires IAMS, Ekanuba and Natura brands in North America, Latin America and other selected countries.

Mars Associates during the opening of Mars Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah Economic City.

2014

Mars

Mars Opens First Factory in Saudi Arabia

Mars Opens First Factory in Saudi Arabia

Mars advertisement written in Dutch in Veghel, the Netherlands.

2014

Mars

Water Processing Plant Opens

Mars in Veghel, the Netherlands, opens first anaerobic Methane Wastewater treatment on the European continent which processes water up to 99 percent pure.

Mars 2014 Topeka, KS opening_2a

2014

Mars Wrigley

Mars Opens First U.S. Chocolate Plant in 35 Years

Mars Chocolate opens its first U.S. manufacturing site in 35 years in Topeka, Kansas.

A wind turbine from a wind farm in Lamesa, Texas.

2014

Mars

Wind Farm Opens in Texas

Mars opens a wind farm the size of Paris in Lamesa, Texas. The wind farm is estimated to produce enough power to power all Mars U.S. sites.

Mars Global Food Safety Center logo in Huairou, China.

2015

Mars

Food Safety Standards Research Center Opens

Mars Global Food Safety Center opens in Huairou, China, a first-of-its-kind facility for precompetitive research, training and collaboration that aims to raise global food safety standards.

Mars 2015 Zero landfill waste pic option 1_13a

2015

Mars Wrigley

Australian Production Site Reaches Zero-Waste Milestone

Mars Chocolate Australia became the final Mars chocolate production site to reach the 2015 Sustainable in a Generation zero landfill waste milestone.

Mars 2013 CocoaVia capsule_6a

2015

Mars Symbioscience

COCOAVIA™ expands to the UK and Ireland

Mars’ Cocoapro®-processed cocoa extract approved as a novel food ingredient in the EU, enabling the launch of COCOAVIA™ capsules in the U.K. and Ireland in early 2017.

Mars Adds BLUEPEARL®, PET PARTNERS™ to Veterinary Services Business

2015

Mars Petcare

Mars Adds BLUEPEARL®, PET PARTNERS™ to Veterinary Services Business

Mars Petcare expands high-quality veterinary care with acquisition of BLUEPEARL® and PET PARTNERS™.

Collage of brand names under Mars Wrigley.

2016

Mars Wrigley

Mars Reveals New Segment for Confectionery

Mars announces it will combine Chocolate and Wrigley segments to create Mars Wrigley.

Mars 2016_Option_for_Turin Chocolate_15a

2016

Mars Wrigley

Turin Chocolate Brands Join Mars Portfolio

Mars acquires Turin Chocolates in Mexico with iconic brands Conejos, Exoticas, Huevitos, Cerezas and Turin Specialty Chocolates.

Two M&M'S® commercial stills representing their 75th anniversary.

2016

Mars Wrigley

M&M'S® Turns 75

Mars celebrates the 75th anniversary of its iconic brand M&M'S®.

Mars adds WHISTLE®, producers of smart dog collars with GPS trackers, to the Mars Petcare family.

2016

Mars Petcare

WHISTLE® Joins Mars Family

Mars adds WHISTLE®, producers of smart dog collars with GPS trackers, to the Mars Petcare family.

Mars Moy Wind Farm -- Scotland (3)

2016

Mars

New Wind Farm Opens in Scotland

New Moy wind farm in Scotland will power the equivalent of all Mars U.K. factories and offices as Mars Takes Another Step on the “Path to Zero” Greenhouse Gas Emissions from operations.

Businessman and philanthropist, Forrest E. Mars, Jr.

2016

Mars

Visionary Mars Leader Dies

Forrest E. Mars, Jr., businessman and philanthropist, passes away at 84.

Mars Mars Brand Logos Web Confectionery Kind Small

2017

Mars Wrigley

Mars Acquires Stake in KIND®

Mars acquires minority stake in the snack bar company KIND®.

Mars Wrigleys-6676

2017

Mars Wrigley

Mars Wrigley Foundation Celebrates 30 Years of Giving

Since it was established in 1987, the Mars Wrigley Foundation has impacted millions of people around the world and awarded more than $70 million (USD). Its mission is to improve the health of people and our planet through initiatives focused on oral health, environmental stewardship and local needs that ensure healthy communities.

Mars MARS Factory 123

2017

Mars

Launch of AdvanceMint™ (known as Shubh Mint™ in India)

Mars Wrigley launches AdvanceMint™ (Shubh Mint™) to boost income and climate resiliency for mint farmers.

Mars Sustainable in a Generation Plan lockup RGB White

2017

Mars

Mars Launches All-Encompassing Sustainability Plan

Mars unveils its “Sustainable in a Generation Plan” and commits to invest $1 billion to tackle urgent threats facing our business and the society we operate in —– threats like climate change, poverty in our value chain and a scarcity of resources.

Five women who work on smallholder farms.

2017

Mars

Mars Announces Plan to Address Smallholder Farmer Income Issues

Mars launches Farmer Income Lab to tackle issue of smallholder farmer income.

Mars Petcare Mars Rolls Out CRAVE™ Globally

2017

Mars Petcare

Mars Rolls Out CRAVE™ Globally

Mars Petcare launches CRAVE™, a dog and cat food brand crafted from high-quality animal protein and no grains.

Logo for petcare company, VCA®.

2017

Mars Petcare

VCA® Joins Mars Petcare Roster of Companies

Mars Completes Acquisition of VCA Inc. VCA® becomes part of Mars Petcare.

Logo for Mars Edge, a Mars, Incorporated business segment.

2017

Mars

Mars Edge is Created

Mars creates new business segment focused on human health and wellness through targeted nutrition.

Mars Food gains majority stake in Tasty Bite® under Preferred Brands International acquisition.

2017

Mars Food

Mars Adds Tasty Bite® to Its Product List

Mars Food gains majority stake in Tasty Bite® under Preferred Brands International acquisition.

Mars mdd_logo_color_1200

2018

Mars Petcare

Genoscoper Laboratories Acquired by Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare acquires Genoscoper Laboratories to accelerate innovation in pet genetics and healthcare.

Mars Pet Dexter

2018

Mars Petcare

The Companion Fund Launches

Mars Petcare starts a venture fund called The Companion Fund to back pet -technology, products and services.

Pet owner and his dog gazing out into the distance.

2018

Mars Petcare

Linnaeus Joins Mars Petcare

Linnaeus, a leading U.K. provider of Veterinary Services joins the Mars Petcare portfolio.

Mars OurHistory_Section2_MarsPetcareAcquiresAnicura_31a

2018

Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare Acquires AniCura

Mars Petcare completes the acquisition of AniCura animal hospitals and clinics.

Lion’s Share Fund Mars

2018

Mars

Lion’s Share Fund

Mars signs on as founding partner of the United Nation’s Development Programme’s “Lion’s Share Fund” to tackle crisis in wildlife conservation and animal welfare.

Mars Cocoa Pods -- Ecuador (2)

2018

Mars

Cocoa for Generations

Mars launches new Cocoa for Generations plan, intending to lead the way and invite the cocoa sector to partner in a new approach to increase farmer income, help safeguard children and forests today, and create a pathway for cocoa farmers, their families and communities to thrive.

Mars Coffee_Beans

2018

Mars Drinks

Mars Sells Drinks Business

Mars sells Drinks Business to Lavazza.