M&M’s confirms pivotal Tour de France supplier deal

Another major coup has been gained by the Mars group, as it confirms its flagship M&M’s brands is set to be the supplier of the Tour de France for the next three years, writes Neill Barston.

As the US-headquartered business noted, by partnering with one of the most prominent sporting events in French, and global cycling arena, the company is seeking to forge a key cultural connection.

For 50 years, the company has held a strong association with the renowned confectionery brand, with the coloured sweets having been produced for the region in Mars’s Haguenau, Alsace production facilities.

According to the business, France’s second-largest chocolate confectionery brand is now purchased by one-third of French households.

Presently, the country’s M&M’s manufacturing site in the country employs some 750 people,  producing some  72,000 tonnes of the brand’s products each year in France and Europe.

As Mars added, by  joining the Tour de France as an official supplier, M&M’S is continuing the festive tradition of the Grande Boucle (the big loop) and combining sweet treats with sporting excitement.

Furthermore, the company explained that it would be seeking to create a buzz surrounding the event as it progressed through its stages, with the next event, taking place in July 2026, beginning in Barcelona, before subsequently returning to its native home in France.

Victoria Abramova, Chief Executive Officer of Mars Wrigley France, welcomed the partnership. She said: “We are very pleased and excited to announce this partnership today between an iconic event and brand in France.

“Through this multi-year partnership with the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift, we are reaffirming our commitment to the values of fun, sharing and community, which make M&M’S much more than just a sweet treat: a symbol of pleasure and joy that is part of everyday life in France.”

Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director, shared her enthusiasm for the renewed deal.

He noted: “We are delighted to enter into this partnership with M&M’S, one of France’s favourite sweets. This is an adventure with a brand that perfectly embodies the values of conviviality and community spirit that define the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift. The whole family will be in for a treat when the caravan passes by!”