A major programme of capital investment has been confirmed by Mars, as it confirms $1.4 billion into expanding its US manufacturing across its operations, including its confectionery brands, reports Neill Barston.

The company, which is behind M&M’s and Cheez-It, Starburst and Milky Way, noted that its latest tranche of development funding for 2027 would be the largest it had ever committed in a single year.

This comes as the wider business, which employs some 80,000 people in the US across 60 sites, has invested a total of $9bn within the US since 2017, with the group placing strong focus on innovation across its snacking and confectionery brands.

As Confectionery Production reported earlier this year, the latest edition of Sweets & Snacks Expo demonstrated that Mars has continued with a strong pipeline of new product development. Notably, this has seen a heightened development of seasonal product creation, particularly around core occasions of Easter, Halloween and Christmas confectionery.

Mike Gilroy of Mars discusses some of its key releases this summer. Pic: Neill Barston

Among one of the most prominent areas of investment has been in the company’s Waco, Texas production facilities manufacturing some 56 billion pieces of Snickers, Starburst and Skittles, which is marking its 50th anniversary this month.

This is set to see measures targeting efficiency and enhanced operating performance, which has seen $165 million invested during the past two years, which have been instrumental in delivering its new Snickers Xtreme Almond bar and Starburst Sour innovations.

Moreover, the company has demonstrated its continued expansion in delivering 15 new facilities in the past year through the acquisition of the major  Kellanova group, home to brands including Pringles, Special K, and Pop Tarts, which has given the group a further strategic reach.

The delivering of major investment in its operations comes at a time of significant broader capital projects for the broader industry, with the likes of Ferrero, Hershey and Barry Callebaut all seeking to make manufacturing improvements in the region, which have come at a time of key commercial considerations with the introduction of significant US import tariffs impacting multiple industries in the US over the past 18 months.

Claus Aagaard, CFO of Mars, welcomed the continued investment in the company. He said: “As Mars marks 115 years in business, our commitment to American manufacturing has never been stronger,” said, Incorporated. “Ninety-four percent of the Mars products sold in the U.S. are made here, reflecting decades of investment in our people, operations and the communities in which we do business. Our continued investments build for the future – expanding our manufacturing capabilities, accelerating growth across our portfolio and services and ensuring we can meet the evolving needs of consumers for generations to come.”

As the company noted, the investment underlines its commitment to evolving manufacturing within North America, and strengthening its local supply chains for the business.

This has involved modernising a number of its facilities in a bid to drive further excellence for the company, as it continues to deliver innovations, including for its Trü Frü brand, which is expanding in Salt Lake City, UT, where it has been headquartered since 2025.

As part of the move, Mars invested $60 million to build two dedicated manufacturing lines within the fruit-based brand’s operations, which represents a $240 investment that opened last year to produce Nature’s Bakery products.

According to the company, the factory will produce more than  one billion Nature’s Bakery snack bars each year, plus delivering 17 million Trü Frü frozen products annually. 

Management appointment 
Furthermore, Mars has also unveiled a key management role, as João Belo will take up the post of Global Vice President, Corporate Affairs for Mars Snacking, from the start of January

He will report to Andrew Clarke, Global President of Mars Snacking and sit on the Mars Snacking Leadership Team and the Mars global Corporate Affairs Leadership Team.

João Belo joins Mars as VP of corporate affairs for Mars Snacking. Pic: Mars

“I couldn’t be happier to welcome João to Mars Snacking,” said Andrew Clarke, Global President of Mars Snacking. “As we build a truly global snacking business, João’s wealth of experience will not only benefit our ambitious growth agenda but also further our efforts to grow in a responsible way that supports our Associates, partners and the communities where we operate – while continuing to build consumer trust.”

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