Mars, Incorporated

Mars operates through three primary business segments: Pet Care, Snacking, and Food. The company's private ownership structure means it does not publicly disclose detailed financial results, but industry estimates place annual revenues above $50 billion, making Mars one of the largest food companies in the world by revenue.

The Pet Care segment, operating under the Mars Petcare division, is one of the world's largest pet food businesses, with brands including Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin, Sheba, Eukanuba, Iams, Cesar, and Nutro. Mars Petcare also operates Banfield Pet Hospital, the largest private veterinary practice in the United States, and various other veterinary and pet health services businesses. The pet care segment has been a major growth driver for Mars as pet ownership and premium pet nutrition spending have increased globally.

The Snacking segment includes Mars's confectionery and snacking brands, encompassing M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles, Starburst, Dove, Galaxy, Maltesers, and Celebrations, among many others. The December 2025 acquisition of Kellanova added Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR, and other snacking brands to this segment, significantly expanding Mars's presence in savory snacks and better-for-you snacking categories.

The Food segment includes Ben's Original (formerly Uncle Ben's), Dolmio, Seeds of Change, and other food brands. This segment has been the smallest of the three primary divisions but provides important diversification across food categories.

Mars, Incorporated was founded on June 23, 1911, by Frank C. Mars in Tacoma, Washington, initially producing butter cream candies. The company relocated to Minneapolis and later to Chicago as it grew, with Frank Mars developing the Milky Way bar in 1923, which became the company's first major success. The Mars bar followed in 1932, establishing the company as a significant player in the American confectionery market.

Forrest Mars Sr., Frank's son, played a pivotal role in the company's global expansion. After a period working with Nestle in Europe, Forrest returned to the United States and rejoined the family business, eventually taking control and driving aggressive international expansion. Forrest developed M&M's in 1941, inspired by soldiers eating chocolate pellets with a hard sugar coating during the Spanish Civil War, and the brand became one of the world's most recognized candy products.

The company expanded into pet food in the 1930s with the acquisition of Chappie, a British dog food brand, establishing what would become one of Mars's most significant business segments. Mars continued building its pet care portfolio through decades of acquisitions and organic growth, eventually acquiring Kal Kan Foods in 1968 and developing the Pedigree brand into a global pet food leader.

In 1964, Mars acquired Uncle Ben's rice (now known as Ben's Original), expanding into the food segment. The company continued diversifying through the latter half of the 20th century, acquiring Dove chocolate in 1986 and Royal Canin in 2001, which became the cornerstone of Mars's premium pet nutrition business.

The most transformative acquisition in Mars's recent history was the completion of its $36 billion purchase of Kellanova on December 11, 2025. Kellanova, formerly known as Kellogg's snacking division, brought iconic brands including Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, Rice Krispies Treats, RXBAR, and Kellogg's into the Mars portfolio. This acquisition dramatically expanded Mars's snacking segment and made the company one of the largest snack food companies in the world.