About Mars
Mars, Incorporated (commonly referred to as Mars) stands as one of the world’s largest privately held companies in the food and pet care sectors. Established in 1911 by Frank C. Mars in Tacoma, Washington, the enterprise has evolved from a modest home-based candy operation into a multinational corporation with operations in over 80 countries. While widely recognized for its iconic confectionery products such as M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, and Skittles, a substantial portion of Mars’ current business activity derives from pet nutrition and veterinary services. The company remains fully owned by the Mars family and maintains its headquarters in McLean, Virginia, United States.
Overview
- Company Name: Mars, Incorporated
- Founded: June 23, 1911
- Founder: Frank C. Mars
- Headquarters: McLean
- Industry: Food manufacturing, confectionery, pet food, animal health
- Ownership: Privately held by the Mars family
- CEO: Poul Weihrauch
- Employees: Approximately 150,000 worldwide
- Operations: More than 80 countries
- Official Website: Mars1
History
The origins of Mars trace back to 1911, when Frank C. Mars began producing butter cream candies from his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington. The company achieved its first major commercial success with the introduction of the Milky Way candy bar in 1923. Over subsequent decades, Mars launched several products that would eventually become globally recognized brands.
Key milestones in the company’s history include:
- 1923: Launch of Milky Way
- 1929: Relocation of the company to Chicago
- 1930: Introduction of Snickers
- 1932: Launch of 3 Musketeers in the U.S.
- 1935: Entry into the pet food sector through the acquisition of Chappel Brothers, the maker of Chappie dog food
- 1941: Development of M&M’s chocolate candies
- 2008: Acquisition of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, positioning Mars as one of the world’s leading confectionery corporations
- 2024: Acquisition of Kellanova, which expanded Mars’ global snacking portfolio.2
Business Segments
Mars structures its operations into four primary divisions:
1. Mars Snacking
As the company’s largest confectionery division, Mars Snacking produces chocolates, candies, gums, and snacks. Popular brands within this segment include:
- M&M’s
- Snickers
- Twix
- Milky Way
- Skittles
- Starburst
- Extra
- Orbit
- Eclipse
- Doublemint
2. Mars Petcare
Mars operates as the world’s largest pet care company. Its comprehensive portfolio encompasses pet nutrition, veterinary hospitals, diagnostic services, and pet technology.
Major brands include:
- Pedigree
- Whiskas
- Royal Canin
- IAMS
- Cesar
- Sheba
- Greenies
Additionally, Mars owns several veterinary service providers, such as:
- Banfield Pet Hospital
- VCA Animal Hospitals
- BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital
- Antech Diagnostics
3. Mars Food & Nutrition
This division focuses on everyday food products, including:
- Ben’s Original
- Dolmio
- Seeds of Change
- MasterFoods
4. Mars Edge
Mars Edge is a science-based nutrition business dedicated to health and wellness products.3
Corporate Philosophy
Mars is guided by its Five Principles, which fundamentally shape its corporate culture and decision-making processes:
- Quality
- Responsibility
- Mutuality
- Efficiency
- Freedom
These principles have been central to the company’s ethos for decades, emphasizing long-term business sustainability and responsible growth.
Global Presence
Mars manufactures and distributes its products worldwide through a network comprising hundreds of factories, research centers, offices, and veterinary hospitals. Its products are available in supermarkets, convenience stores, online retailers, veterinary clinics, and pet specialty stores across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.4
Sustainability
The company has made significant investments in sustainability initiatives, focusing on areas such as:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Responsible cocoa sourcing
- Sustainable palm oil procurement
- Improving farmer livelihoods
- Recyclable and reusable packaging
- Water stewardship
- Animal welfare initiatives
Mars has also committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 2050.
Financial Scale
Although Mars is a privately held entity and not required to disclose detailed financial results, it consistently ranks among the world’s largest private companies. Recent figures indicate:
- Annual revenue of approximately US$65 billion
- Around 150,000 employees
- Operations in over 80 countries5
Confectionery
- M&M’s
- Snickers
- Twix
- Milky Way
- Skittles
- Starburst
- Dove/Galaxy
- Bounty
- Mars Bar
- 3 Musketeers
Gum & Mints
- Extra
- Orbit
- Eclipse
- Juicy Fruit
- Doublemint
- Spearmint
Pet Care
- Pedigree
- Whiskas
- Royal Canin
- IAMS
- Cesar
- Sheba
- Greenies
Food
- Ben’s Original
- Dolmio
- MasterFoods
- Seeds of Change
Legacy
From its beginnings as a small family-run candy business operating out of a kitchen, Mars has transformed into one of the most influential entities in the global food and pet care industries. Despite its extensive international scale, the company has remained under the private ownership of the Mars family for more than a century. It is widely recognized for its portfolio of iconic consumer brands, its expansive animal care business, and its commitment to long-term approaches to growth and sustainability.
