Mars to combine chocolate and Wrigley divisions

Food manufacturer Mars is to combine its Mars Chocolate and Wrigley business divisions to create Mars Wrigley Confectionery, as part of efforts to address consumer trends and accelerate growth opportunities.

The new segment, Mars says, will help the company serve its customers better, address consumer trends and accelerate growth opportunities in a vibrant global confectionery category. Mars Wrigley Confectionery will combine the chocolate (SNICKERS, M&M’S, Dove, Galaxy, Maltesers, Twix), gum and mints (Doublemint, Extra, Orbit, 5, Altoids, Lifesavers), and fruity confections brands (Skittles, Starburst) into one operating unit.

Martin Radvan, global president of Wrigley and a 30-year veteran of Mars, will lead the new Mars Wrigley Confectionery segment, guiding its 30,000 workers operating in around 70 countries.

“Mars Wrigley Confectionery brings together two great businesses, strengthening our ability to create win-win relationships with our customers, and improving our opportunities to address dynamic retail and consumer trends together,” he explained.

Since Mars acquired Wrigley in 2008, Berkshire Hathaway has held a minority stake in Wrigley that was subject to purchase by Mars over time. Mars accelerated the purchase of Berkshire Hathaway’s entire equity interest in Wrigley.

Grant Reid, office of the president and CEO of Mars, added that sole ownership of Wrigley provides the company with “an opportunity to rethink how we simplify our chocolate and Wrigley businesses so that we can bring a more holistic approach to this vibrant category”.

The global hub for the new Mars Wrigley Confectionery will be in Chicago, Illinois, and the combination is set to take place next year.

Mars Chocolate and Wrigley will continue to operate separately for the time being. Jean-Christophe Flatin will continue as president of Mars Global Chocolate, and Casey Keller, previously regional president of Wrigley Americas, will become president of Global Wrigley.

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