Mars, Incorporated

American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products, and one of the largest privately held companies in the world.

Company Type

public

Founded

1911

Headquarters

McLean, Virginia, USA

Revenue

approximately $50 billion (FY2024, estimated)

Employees

Over 150,000

Primary Market

Global

sustainable sourcingenvironmental compliancefood waste reduction

About 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.

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History of Mars, Incorporated

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.

Brands Owned by Mars, Incorporated

View all 12 brands

Mars, Incorporated owns 12 brands in our database. Showing featured brands below.

Celebrations

Owned by Mars, Incorporated

British chocolate assortment brand featuring a variety of chocolate candies, owned by Mars, Incorporated and distributed globally.

chocolateassortmentcandies

Cheez-It

Owned by Mars, Incorporated

American brand of cheese cracker snacks originally made by Kellogg's Kellanova division, now owned by Mars, Incorporated.

snackscrackerscheese

Galaxy Chocolate

Owned by Mars, Incorporated

British chocolate brand owned by Mars, Incorporated, known for smooth and creamy chocolate bars and confectionery products.

chocolatechocolate-barspremium-chocolate

M&M's

Owned by Mars, Incorporated

American brand of candy-coated chocolate confections produced by Mars, Incorporated, one of the world's best-selling candy brands.

candychocolateconfectionery

Maltesers

Owned by Mars, Incorporated

British chocolate confectionery brand owned by Mars, Incorporated, consisting of malted milk balls covered in milk chocolate. Originally launched in the UK in 1936 under the name "Energy Balls."

chocolateconfectionerymalted-milk-balls

Milky Way

Owned by Mars, Incorporated

American nougat, caramel, and chocolate candy bar owned by Mars, Incorporated, introduced in 1923. One of the top-selling candy bars in the United States, with a distinct formulation difference between US and European versions.

chocolatecandy-barnougat

View all 12 brands owned by Mars, Incorporated

Shop Mars, Incorporated Brands

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Cheez-It on Amazon

Galaxy Chocolate on Amazon

M&M's on Amazon

Mars, Incorporated Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Complete family ownership enables long-term strategic decision-making without public market pressure
+No obligation to disclose financial results, protecting competitive information
+Consistent application of the Five Principles across all business decisions
+Ability to make large acquisitions (Kellanova for $36 billion) without shareholder approval processes
+Strong brand portfolio across pet care, confectionery, and snacking with global recognition
+Kellanova acquisition creates one of the world's largest snack food companies
+Diversified revenue across pet care, confectionery, and food reduces dependence on any single category
+Long-term investment horizon supports brand building and R&D without quarterly earnings pressure

Considerations

-Private ownership limits access to public capital markets for funding growth
-No public accountability or transparency regarding financial performance or governance
-Family ownership concentration creates succession planning complexity across generations
-Integration of large acquisitions like Kellanova requires significant management resources
-Intense competition from publicly traded food companies with greater capital market access
-Regulatory scrutiny of large acquisitions in concentrated food and pet care markets

Frequently Asked Questions About Mars, Incorporated

Is Mars, Incorporated publicly traded?

No, Mars, Incorporated is entirely privately held by the Mars family. The company has never been publicly traded and has no plans to pursue an IPO. This private ownership structure has been a consistent feature of the company since its founding in 1911.

Who owns Mars, Incorporated?

Mars, Incorporated is owned entirely by the Mars family, descendants of founder Frank Mars and his son Forrest Mars Sr. The family has maintained complete ownership across multiple generations, making Mars one of the world's largest family-owned businesses.

What did Mars acquire in 2025?

Mars completed its $36 billion acquisition of Kellanova on December 11, 2025. Kellanova's portfolio includes Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, Rice Krispies Treats, RXBAR, and Kellogg's branded products. This was one of the largest acquisitions in the food industry's history.

How large is Mars, Incorporated?

Mars generates estimated annual revenues exceeding $50 billion (the company does not publicly disclose financials) and employs over 150,000 people in more than 80 countries. Following the Kellanova acquisition, Mars is one of the world's largest food and pet care companies.

What are Mars's most famous brands?

Mars's most recognized brands include M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles, Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin, and following the Kellanova acquisition, Pringles, Cheez-It, and Pop-Tarts. The company's brands are sold in virtually every country worldwide.

About Mars, Incorporated

History of Mars, Incorporated