Mars Snacking
American confectionary and snacks division
Mars Snacking
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFood
FoundedApril 1, 1891; 134 years ago (1891-04-01)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Headquarters
Global Innovation Center, Goose Island (Chicago), Illinois
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Andrew Clarke (global president)
Products
ParentMars Inc.
SubsidiariesWrigley Company
Accelerator
Hotel Chocolat
Kellanova
Websitehttps://www.mars.com/our-brands/mars-snacking

Mars Snacking (formerly known as Mars Wrigley Confectionery) is an American confectionery and snacks company. It is a division of Mars Inc.

History

In 2016, Mars announced that the Wrigley Company would be merged with its chocolate segment, Mars Chocolate North America, LLC, to form a new subsidiary, Mars Wrigley Confectionery. The new company would maintain global offices in Chicago, while moving its U.S. offices to Hackettstown and Newark, New Jersey, Wrigley CEO Martin Ravdan would lead the combined business.[1][2]

In 2018, the company appointed Andrew Clarke as its CEO, replacing Martin Ravdan, he started his tenure as CEO in September of the same year.[3][4]

In November 2020, Mars acquired full ownership of snack food company Kind North America for $5 billion, the company previously owned a stake in the company.[5][6][7]

In December 2022, it was announced that Mars had acquired the Utah headquartered whole-fruit snacking brand, Trü Frü, the acquisition formed a new health and wellness sub-brand which will include the brand, Kind and Nature's Bakery.[8]

In November 2023, Mars announced the purchase of British Chocolatier Hotel Chocolat for £534 million, the company would remain independent from Mars' brands and for such will have no recipe changes or no Mars products within its stores, the company hopes to bring it to more markets. It increases Mars' retail presence, a presence they already had with M&M's World. The acquisition was complete by January 25, 2024[9][10][11]

On August 14, 2024, Mars Inc. announced its acquisition of Kellanova, which was known as Kellogg's until 2023 (its spun-off North American cereal business is WK Kellogg Co, now owned by Ferrero SpA), for $83.50 per share in cash, for a total consideration of $35.9 billion, including assumed net leverage. According to the companies, this is the largest acquisition of 2024 to date, while analysts described it as the largest CPG transaction since the merger between Kraft and Heinz in 2015.[12][13]

The agreement has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Kellanova. The transaction is subject to Kellanova shareholder approval and other customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and was expected to close within the first half of 2025.[14] On December 11, 2025, Mars successfully acquired Kellanova after its $36 biillion bid won European Union approval after regulators backtracked on earlier concerns.[15]

Mars Snacking's chocolate manufacturing plant in Cleveland, Tennessee, where it produces M&M's and Twix

Following the acquisition, Kellanova was integrated into a rebranded Mars Snacking (which now uses the Kellogg K and the Wrigley G as part of the logo), Kellanova was also delisted from the New York Stock Exchange and its CEO Steve Cahillane stepped down from the company. The acquisition expanded the division's reach, with more than 50,000 associates and it operating across more than 145 markets with a workforce of around 50,000 employees, the division was valued at more than $30 billion.[16][17][18][19]

Brands

Many Mars Snacking products are household, famous-name brands such as M&Ms, Mars bars and the Kellogg's brand outside of cereals in North America.

Original food products

Confectionery products

Note: manufactured by Wrigley Company

References

  1. ^ de la Merced, Michael J. (6 October 2016). "Mars Cashes Out Warren Buffett to Take Control of Wrigley". The New York Times.
  2. ^ McGrath, Maggie (6 October 2016). "Mars Buying Out Warren Buffett To Take Full Control Of Wrigley". Forbes.
  3. ^ Mullan, Laura (2020-05-17). "Mars Wrigley names new global president". fooddigital.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  4. ^ "Mars CMO promoted to president of confectionery business". Marketing Week. 2018-06-19. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  5. ^ "KIND and Mars Announce Next Step in Partnership to Build a Kinder World and Bring Healthy Snacks to People Worldwide Mars to acquire KIND North America; Partnership will build on growth across geographies and categories". Press Release. Mars, Incorporated. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  6. ^ Hirsch, Lauren (17 November 2020). "Kind bars will be acquired by Mars, the maker of Snickers". Article. New York Times. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  7. ^ Sorkin, Andrew Ross; Hirsch, Lauren (November 17, 2020). "Kind Bars to Be Acquired by Maker of Snickers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Mars Announces Acquisition Of Trü Frü Snacking Brand". ESM Magazine. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  9. ^ "Mars completes acquisition of premium chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat". 25 January 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  10. ^ Young, Sarah (16 November 2023). "U.S. giant Mars to buy Britain's Hotel Chocolat for $662m". Reuters.
  11. ^ Sorkin, Andrew Ross; Hirsch, Lauren (November 17, 2020). "Kind Bars to Be Acquired by Maker of Snickers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  12. ^ "Sweet and salty deal worth $30 billion would put M&M's and Snickers alongside Cheez-It and Pringles". AP News. 2024-08-14. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  13. ^ Sorkin, Andrew Ross; Hirsch, Lauren (November 17, 2020). "Kind Bars to Be Acquired by Maker of Snickers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  14. ^ Sorkin, Andrew Ross; Hirsch, Lauren (November 17, 2020). "Kind Bars to Be Acquired by Maker of Snickers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  15. ^ Morgan, Aoife (2023-11-16). "Hotel Chocolat bought by Mars in £534m deal - Retail Gazette". www.retailgazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  16. ^ Darley, James (2025-12-10). "What is Next for Mars' Takeover of Kellanova?". fooddigital.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  17. ^ "Mars receives final EU approval for Kellanova acquisition - Grocery Gazette - Latest Grocery Industry News". 2025-12-09. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  18. ^ "Mars Finalizes Kellanova Acquisition". www.convenience.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  19. ^ Lucas, Amelia (2025-12-16). "Kraft Heinz taps former Kellanova CEO Steve Cahillane to lead company ahead of breakup". CNBC. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
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