Mars Inc.
American multinational food and animal care corporation
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| August 14 2024 | Mars Inc. announced its acquisition of Kellanova for $35.9 billion, described as the largest CPG transaction since the Kraft and H.J. Heinz merger in 2015. |
| 2023 | A CBS television news investigation found children as young as five years old working in Ghana's cocoa supply chain for Mars brands like Snickers and M&Ms. |
| November 2023 | Mars purchased Hotel Chocolat for £534 million. |
| 2022 | Mars was evaluated on the Chocolate Scorecard, scoring the second-highest rating for 'Deforestation and Climate' and 'Agroforestry', indicating they were starting to implement good environmental policies, but received a lower rating for 'Agrochemical Management'. |
| 2022 | Forbes ranked Mars Inc. as the fourth-largest privately held company in the United States, with annual sales reaching US$45 billion. |
| December 2022 | Mars acquired Trü Frü, a whole-fruit snacking brand headquartered in Utah. |
| January 2022 | Mars Inc. announced plans to close its Chicago, Illinois factory by 2024, with the building remaining under the ownership of Galewood neighborhood residents. |
| June 2021 | The United States Supreme Court dismissed a class action lawsuit filed by eight former child slaves from Mali against Mars and other chocolate companies, citing lack of standing due to the abuse occurring outside the United States. |
| June 2021 | Wisdom Panel DNA testing expanded to include cats. |
| 2020 | Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service (part of Linnaeus Group) won Best Vet in the United Kingdom 2020 award from Vet Help Direct |
| November 2020 | Mars acquired full ownership of Kind North America for $5 billion. |
| May 2020 | Mars filed a lawsuit against JAB Holding over claims of stolen confidential documents. |
| 2019 | Mars publicly acknowledged they could only trace 24% of their cocoa purchasing back to the farm level, revealing ongoing challenges with child labor in their supply chain. |
| 2018 | Mars Petcare acquired Genoscoper Laboratories, a Finnish animal molecular diagnostics company, to expand its genetic testing capabilities. |
| 2018 | Mars Drinks division was sold to Lavazza. |
| June 2018 | Mars Veterinary Health International and Diagnostics acquired the Linnaeus Group, consolidating its position as a leading veterinary provider in the United Kingdom. |
| 2017 | The company's confectionery segment opened a new office in Newark, New Jersey. |
| September 2017 | Mighty Earth investigation revealed that Mars and other chocolate companies were sourcing cocoa grown illegally in national parks and protected areas in Ivory Coast and Ghana, causing significant environmental damage including extensive deforestation and severe reduction of wildlife populations. |
| January 2017 | Mars Veterinary Health North America announced the US$7.7 billion acquisition of VCA Inc., a Los Angeles-based animal hospital chain. |
| 2016 | Mars Inc. merged its chocolate and Wrigley segments to form Mars Wrigley Confectionery. |
| February 2016 | Mars announced it would no longer use artificial colors in any of its candy products. |
| October 2015 | Mars Petcare acquired BluePearl Veterinary Partners, becoming the largest pet nutrition and veterinary care provider in the world. |
| 2014 | Established their newest chocolate producing facility in Topeka, Kansas, at a cost of $270 million - the first new facility in 23 years. |
| 2012 | Maltesers became the first Mars product to carry the Fairtrade mark in the UK and Ireland. |
| 2011 | Mars and Fairtrade International announced an agreement to introduce the first Fairtrade labeled Mars product and support sustainable farmer livelihoods. |
| 2010 | Mars received the U.S. Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence. |
| April 2010 | Mars launched the MyCocoaPaper initiative, aiming to provide economic opportunities to women and families in Indonesia by creating paper products from cocoa bark and recycled office paper. |
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