The global leader famous for candy brands such as M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, Skittles, and Starburst plans to enhance its U.S. manufacturing to increase capacity and continue building its diverse portfolio of brands.
The 114-year-old firm, based in McLean, Virginia, is also a leader in pet foods, such as Pedigree, Sheba, Whiskas, and PrettyLitter, and 94 percent of its products sold in the United States are produced domestically.
“This investment is about building a stronger, more resilient business in the U.S.—one that can grow with our consumers, deliver for our partners, and create lasting economic impact in the communities where we operate,” Claus Aagaard, chief financial officer of Mars, said in a company statement.
“That’s why we’ve committed $6 billion to U.S. manufacturing in the last five years, with another $2 billion planned by the end of next year.”
On July 30, Mars will officially open a $240 million investment into a Nature’s Bakery facility in Salt Lake City. The company indicated that the 339,000-square-foot site will create more than 230 new jobs in the region and expand the snack bar brand’s capacity, with the ability to produce nearly 1 billion bars each year.
“The U.S. is our biggest and most important market, and a key engine of growth for the long term—not only through our legacy manufacturing footprint, but also through the expansion of strategic acquisitions like Nature’s Bakery,” Aagaard said.
Earlier this year, Mars opened a $450 million Royal Canin dry pet food facility in Lewisburg, Ohio. The brand’s largest dry pet food factory in the world created almost 270 new jobs in that region.
Over the past five years, the company has invested more than $6 billion in manufacturing facilities across the United States.
A privately held, family-owned business, Mars has a presence in 49 states, employs more than 70,000 people, and operates 38 factories, in addition to veterinary clinics, labs, and 16 global and regional offices.
Currently, 57 percent of its sales are from the pet food and pet care industry, and 39 percent from the snack food sector. Food and nutrition make up just 4 percent of its sales.
