Mars Incorporated
Mars Incorporated (short form Mars Inc.) is an American food company with headquarters in McLean, Virginia, in addition to chocolate bars (trade names, inter alia, Mars, Milky Way, Snickers, Twix, M & M's, Bounty ) and other foods (trade name & a Uncle Ben's rice, Dolmio ) and animal feed (trade name & a Pedigree, Whiskas, Frolic, Kitekat, Sheba, Cesar, Perfect Fit, Trill ) and plant care products ( eg, produced Seramis ).
Until 1 September 2007, the European subsidiaries operating under the name Masterfoods. Before the name change on Mars was named the area for pet food Effern, after the initials of the company founder Frank Mars, where " F. M. " spoken =" Effern " was born.
General
Founded in 1911 by Frank C. Mars Inc. Mars and his second wife, Ethel V. Mars in Tacoma, Washington. The eponymous chocolate bar (see Mars) was the first time in 1932 by the son of Forrest E. Mars. manufactured in the UK and sold.
In 2012, the company Mars is represented worldwide at 394 locations in 74 countries and employs approximately 72,000 employees. The annual turnover of the Group amounted to about 33 billion U.S. dollars. According to Forbes Magazine, it is the third largest company in the U.S., which is privately owned and is not listed.
Is unusual for a company of this size that the company is still family owned. An IPO did not take place and is not planned.
On 28 April 2008 the acquisition of Wrigley announced for $ 23 billion. Wrigley is to be retained as a subsidiary.
Subsidiaries
Germany
Mars Germany is the German subsidiary of the American family -owned Mars, Incorporated, one of the world's leading manufacturers of branded products. In 1960 the company launched in Germany, production and committed suicide in 2010 its 50th anniversary. German subsidiaries (Mars GmbH) located in Verden, Viersen ( Mackenstein ), Minden and Mogendorf. With the acquisition of Wrigley since 2008, is also part of the German branch in Unterhaching Germany to Mars. Current German directors are Thomas Bittinger (Mars Chocolate), Loïc Moutault (Mars Petcare ) and Cyrille Balmes ( Mars Food ). CEO of Wrigley Germany is April 1, 2011 Michael Kunze.
Austria
Mars Austria OG is the Austrian subsidiary of Mars Inc. The production of confectionery in width Brunn am Neusiedler See and pet food in Bruck an der Leitha. Current Managing Director Gottfried Gröbl.
Switzerland
The Swiss headquarters of Mars is in train.
Products
Commercial lines and brand names of Mars Incorporated / Mars GmbH:
- Confectionery: Amicelli, Balisto, Banjo, Bounty, Celebrations, Dove, M & M's, Maltesers, Mars, Milky Way, Snickers, Twix
- Pet food: Cesar, Chappi, Dreamies, Frolic, Greenies, James Wellbeloved, Kitekat, Loyal, Nutro, Pedigree, Perfect Fit, Royal Canin, Sheba, Trill, Whiskas, Winergy
- Pet care: Catsan, Natusan, Thomas
- Food: Ebly, Dolmio, Mirácoli, Seeds of Change, Suzi Wan, Uncle Ben's
- Wrigley 5 Gum, Airwaves, Altoids, Aqua Drops, Big Red, Doublemint, Extra, Hubba Bubba, Juicy Fruit, lockets, Orbit, Skittles, Starburst, Wrigley 's Spearmint
- Plant Care: Seramis
- Drink vending machines: Flavia, Klix
Criticism
Mars Inc. holds since 1995 a patent for the use of controversial nanoparticles in food processing (United States Patent 5,741,505, 1995). The technology described allows to avoid using a coating of titanium dioxide that chocolate develops after prolonged storage a gray coating. The coatings can also be used on cookies, potato chips and breakfast cereals. The company said it set not a technology.
According to PETA, there is - contrary to contrary statements on the part of the group - evidence that Mars Inc. have funded animal studies in rats to assess the impact of chocolate should be determined on the blood vessels.
In Black Markenfirmen the chocolate industry are accused of serious human rights violations such as exploitation and child slavery in the cocoa suppliers in the Ivory Coast. Reports of the ARD from the years 2010 and 2012 came to the conclusion that large companies such as Mars Inc., Kraft Foods and Nestlé child slavery " tolerate at least. "