The Mars company is considered one of the most mysterious in the American market. Currently, it owns more than a dozen brands that are in great demand all over the world. The corporation's revenues amount to billions of dollars.
Mars was originally private company, which remains to this day. Key roles in the corporation belong to members of the Mars family, who have always tried to remain in the shadows, avoiding the hype around their names. In this regard, there have always been a lot of rumors and gossip around Mars. Thus, some claim that Forrest Mars, the son of the company’s founder, began his working day by touring production, personally trying samples of products, including animal feed.
Where it all began
The history of Mars goes back to the 19th century. In 1882, the future founder of the Franklin Corporation, Clarence Mars, was born in Minnesota. The boy grew up in a poor family, so he was forced to start working early. At the age of 19, he began selling sweets, rising higher and higher through the ranks.
Over time, Frank began to earn decent money and think about starting his own business. At 28, he quits his job and starts his own business. His wife Ethel becomes Mars's main assistant. The couple opens Candy store right in own home in the American city of Tahoma. They personally make inexpensive candies with various fillings and sell them directly through their kitchen window.
Little by little, the family business, which the couple registered as “ Mars Candy Factory, Inc“, began to generate income. In 1923, Frank came up with an idea that changed his whole life. It happened completely by accident. One day, Mars was walking with his little son Forrest, and he asked to buy him chocolate, which was then sold only by weight. The kid quickly got dirty, and Frank thought, why not sell chocolate wrapped in foil? Having discussed the idea on home council, the couple decided to bring it to life. This is how it appeared Milky Way, which instantly became a bestseller. It was sold with the slogan: "Chocolate malt milk in a sweet bar" and by 1925 was recognized as the leader in the chocolate market. Thanks to Milky Way, the company's revenue increased significantly, and Frank hired salespeople for his store.
In 1929, the Mars family moved to Chicago, where they opened their first factory in the early 1920s. From year to year, the company's staff increases, and its income is steadily growing. The Mars product line is constantly updated with new brands, including the bar Snickers, which is still very popular among buyers all over the world.
Activities of Forrest Mars
In 1932, Forrest Mars, who graduated from Yale University, went to the UK, where he founded his own company, called Mars Limited. Here historians have some differences. Some believe that Frank himself suggested that his son try his hand at it. Others claim that a major quarrel arose in the family, as a result of which Forrest decided not to aggravate relations with his father, go abroad and start his own business. Be that as it may, it is known for sure that Forrest did not leave the United States empty-handed - in addition to 50 thousand American dollars, he took with him a unique recipe for a Milky Way bar.
In 1932, Forrest created the legendary Mars bar. Unlike his father, he thinks more broadly and opens the production of animal feed. The company's assortment includes Whiskas and Pedigree. However, Forrest's most successful invention is candy coated with a special coating, thanks to which consumers' hands remain clean. They get the name M&M's and soon become the main product of the company, bringing in fabulous profits. It’s a pity that Mars Sr. never witnessed his son’s triumph. In 1934 he died of heart failure. 
The success of M&M's was so resounding that Forrest Mars decided to change the name of his company to M&M Ltd. Next important step in the development of the corporation is the purchase of UncleBen’s, which at that time was considered the leader in the rice market instant cooking.
In 1964, Forrest Mars decides to merge his brainchild with his father's company. This is how a company appears M&M/Mars, which is rapidly developing in several directions. The corporation produces confectionery products ( M&M's, Mars, Dove, Milky Way, Twix, Snickers, Bounty and other chocolate bars), animal food ( Kitekat, Whiskas, Chappi), chewing gum Wrigley, as well as basic food products ( Gourmania soups, sauces and rice Uncle Ben’s and others). Over time, the company begins producing drinks ( Four Square) and vending machines. 
Basic principles of the company and features in its management
In 1977, the five principles of Mars appeared, which guide the company to this day: quality, responsibility, mutual understanding, efficiency and freedom.
Mars has always had serious control over the quality of all products. Forrest Mars also paid great attention to team cohesion. So, in Mars there are no personal accounts and partitions separating corporate employees from each other. Mars believed that in this way employees would feel like a team and would be able to quickly convey information to colleagues, including managers. In the mid-20th century, the company had its own employee training center.
Mars today
Today Mars is owned by Frank Mars' grandchildren, Jacqueline, Forrest Jr. and John. They formally resigned, handing over control of the corporation to Paul Michaels.
Currently, the company strives to ensure that its products remain in demand and meet modern requirements. For example, it changed the composition of Mars chocolate bars, which lost artificial flavors and became less calorie. The corporation has also abandoned the use of potentially harmful additives and periodically holds promotions promoting healthy image life.
About companyMars
The Mars Company was founded in 1911 by Frank S. Mars. It is now the world's largest family-owned company and a global market leader in confectionery, food, chewing gum and pet food.
Mars started business on Russian market in 1991 and in 1995 she opened her first factory - a chocolate production plant in Stupino, near Moscow. In the same year, we began production of cat and dog food at the first pet food production plant in the village. Luzhniki Stupino district. In 2003, a plant for the production of ready-made food was opened in Lukhovitsy, Moscow region. In 2008, as a result of Mars' acquisition of Wrigley Russian brand A.KORKUNOV® became part of Mars Chocolate. Currently, Mars has 9 factories in Russia in 4 different regions Russia. Over two decades, Mars, Incorporated has invested more than $1 billion in the Russian market. The company employs more than 7,000 people and over 70,000 work in related industries.
Products
All main areas of activity of the Mars company are represented on the Russian market. In the field of confectionery products, these are products under the brands M&M’s, SNICKERS, Mars, Dove, MilkyWay, Skittles, Twix, Bounty, Celebrations, Starburst (candies), Rondo. Mars occupies second place in this market in Russia in value terms with a share of 15%.
The company is widely represented in the chewing gum market. The key brands are Spearmint, Orbit and Five. After acquiring WRIGLEY, Mars became the undisputed market leader, accounting for 60 to 70% of sales. One of the main segments of Mars represented in Russia is the pet food segment. The company is a world leader in the production of this type of product and is also a leader in our country. The following Mars brands are represented in Russia: Pedigree, Whiskas, KiteKat, Chappi, Sheba, Cesar, Perfect Fit, Royal Canin and several others.
In addition, there are two MARS brands from the food segment on the Russian food market - Uncle Ben’s and Dolmio.
Production Mars
Construction of the first production site, a factory in the city of Stupino, Moscow region, began in 1994. The factory came into operation in 1995, and its official opening took place in 1996. Today, the plant in Stupino is the foundation of the Mars company in the market not only in Russia, but also in the CIS. The capacity of the plant in Stupino allows it to produce about 150 thousand tons of products per year. The plant produces a wide range of products, including such well-known brands as Mars, SNICKERS, Bounty, Twix, M&M’s, Dove. The company actively interacts with the leadership of the region, sponsors cultural, sports and development programs, and patronizes boarding houses for children. In addition to the plant in Stupino, in the Moscow region there is also a plant producing Dolmio sauces (in the city of Lukhovitsy) and a plant producing animal feed (in the village of Luzhniki, Stupinsky district and Novosibirsk).
Until recently, the plant in Stupino was the only chocolate factory in Russia, but the company's management decided to develop a production base in the CIS market. As a result, in 2012 a new state-of-the-art plant in the village of Cherdakly, Ulyanovsk region, which continues to develop. The plant became one of the largest in Russia. At the end of 2013, the company employed about 400 employees. A number of new technologies have been introduced at the Cherdakly plant, which are now being used to modernize production lines at other company plants. The plant in the Ulyanovsk region continues its development, and over time it is planned to produce a full range of Mars products, which will cover the market not only in the CIS, but throughout Central Asia and the Far East.
Contacts:
Evgeniy Khokhlovkin, Director of Sales, Mars
e-mail :
The site's observer has studied more than a century of history of the Mars Corporation, which created several world-famous brands of sweets and pet food.
To bookmarks
Mars, Snickers, M&M's, Milky Way, Skittles - this is just a small list of sweets produced by the Mars corporation. Treats for animals are also produced here: Chappie, KiteKat, Whiskas and Pedigree. Control over one of the world leaders in the production of sweets is still belongs to the Mars family, with whom the history of the company began.
Franklin Mars. Milky Way and first successes
The history of Mars began with a humble candy salesman, Franklin Mars. He was born in 1883 in Hancock Township. As a child, Franklin contracted polio, stopped going to school and spent time at home watching his mother make sweets.
At the age of 19, Mars began working as a hawker selling sweets, and even thought about own business. In 1902, Franklin Mars married Ethel Kissack. In 1910, the couple divorced, and Ethel and her son moved to another city. There is a version that the marriage fell apart due to Franklin's unsuccessful attempt to open his own business.
Franklin Mars's first official business was started in 1911: together with his new wife, also named Ethel, he created a small enterprise for the production and sale of sweets. The company was officially registered and named Mar-o-Bar.
Because Franklin's first and second wives were namesakes, there is confusion about exactly when the company began. The most logical option is considered to be 1911, but it is possible that Franklin tried to open a business earlier. There is also a version that the company was called differently - Mars Candy.
The Mars family's home kitchen became the company's workshop and at the same time a retail outlet, and the window of their house became a kind of counter. They bought sweets willingly. Most sources emphasize that Mars went bankrupt three times before achieving success, but the reasons for the failures are unknown.
A breakthrough awaited the company in the early 1920s. Mars moved to Minneapolis and opened Mar-o-Bar. In 1922, Mar-o-Bar candies were created, and in 1923, Milky Way chocolates appeared. There is a legend about how Franklin Mars came up with this idea. One day, while walking with his son Forrest, he bought him chocolate. Chocolate bars were then sold only by weight and literally melted in the hands of customers. During a walk, Mars noticed this and soon came up with the idea of making chocolate in a foil wrapper.
According to another version of events, it was not a matter of foil - just one day Forrest Mars was drinking a chocolate shake and suggested that his father make a bar from this drink. He registered trademark Milky Way, and in 1923 a bar of the same name went on sale, captivating customers. The official Mars website says that the creation of Milky Way was preceded by three years of research.
The success of Milky Way was largely made possible thanks to non-trivial advertising, and many researchers claim that Forrest came up with it. Milky Way was introduced as a bar that doesn't sink. The advertisement depicted a fat man who survived a shipwreck and did not drown thanks to several Milky Ways he ate.
In 1923, the Snickers formula was developed, but its production would not begin until seven years later. The bar was named after Franklin Mars' favorite horse.
In 1924, the company, which two years earlier had suffered losses of $6 thousand, reached a turnover of $700 thousand. Milky Way has become one of the most popular sweets in the USA, which has increased production capacity. It was decided to build a new Mars plant in the suburbs of Chicago. In 1926 the company launched Mars Candies. On the wave of popularity, Franklin Mars increased production speed and introduced new types of products even during the Great Depression.
In 1928, Forrest Mars began working in his father's company. They say that Mars Jr.'s role model was John Davison Rockefeller. At the same time, he believed that it was possible and necessary to earn more than Rockefeller, and from a young age he strived for this. In the future, this ambitious man would make Mars a huge corporation, but in the late 1920s he remained in Franklin's shadow, and conflict was brewing between them.
The main reason Many people call misunderstandings between father and son different views for the development of the company. Franklin allegedly just wanted to live comfortably, but Forrest hoped to enter the international market. In addition, Mars Jr. often challenged his father’s decisions and believed that he was leading irrationally. The situation became increasingly tense, and it all ended with Forrest moving to the UK.
According to the most popular version, one of the quarrels ended with Forrest delivering an ultimatum: either he receives a third of his father’s company, or he leaves. Franklin told his son to leave, but did not leave him with anything, giving him the right to produce Milky Way in Europe and $50 thousand.
Activities of Forrest Mars. Mars and M&M's bars and Uncle Ben's rice
After leaving the USA, Mars continued to study confectionery business and allegedly even used family recipes to create unique products. Soon he organized his own small production in the city of Slow. At first, only a few people worked here, and Forrest purchased chocolate from other manufacturers. This approach was maintained until the company's turnover increased. Her first famous creation was the Mars bar.
An original marketing campaign was launched to promote the new product. Times were difficult, people were reluctant to spend money on chocolate, and Forrest Mars decided that it was necessary to sell not the sweetness, but its benefits. Mars was promoted as an energizing product made from healthy and nutritious ingredients - and the bar became one of the top sellers in the European market.
There is another version according to which Forrest Mars became interested in instant rice when he moved to the UK. It was there that he read about Erich Hatzenlaub and the method of steaming rice named after him. Thanks to the scientist’s discovery, rice preserved nutrients, it was stored for a long time and prepared quickly.
Hatzenlaub created the company Rice Conversation, and then Forrest Mars came to him, admiring the scientist’s achievements. Mars financed Huzenlaub's move to the United States, and together they formed Mars and Huzenlaub in Houston. Mars later invested in a new company, Converted Rice, which began producing and selling instant rice. It was headed by Hatzenlaub and broker Gordon Harwell.
Original idea attracted the attention of the government, and Converted Rice received a large order. After the war, new varieties of rice were added to the product line, and the brand became extremely popular in the American market. In 1952, Converted Rice became the leader in the instant rice market. In 1959, Forrest Mars became the sole owner of the company, and it officially changed its name to Uncle Ben's.
WriteHow are billion-dollar corporations born? Where does their procession begin and how much work and effort was invested in their creation and development?
It is difficult to answer these questions. And each such company had its own path. But no matter how the circumstances developed, this path was always difficult and only the perseverance and faith of the creators led them further to the goal and success.
Today I want to tell you the story of the creation of such famous brand, How Mars.
As in many similar cases, it all started with a small family business, when Frank Mars and his wife own kitchen in a modest house in the city of Tacoma (USA, Washington state), small sweets with butter filling were made at night. No matter how simple these sweets were, they were loved by the locals.
That's why in 1911 The Mars family registered their first company, Mars Candy Factory. But fame and first big success Mars brings creation to the family Milky Way chocolate bar. This unusual bar not only allowed Mars to expand production, but also to move to Chicago (USA, Illinois).
In 1930 in American markets there is a new chocolate one Snickers bar, which costs only 5 cents each. The company's turnover and profits grew by leaps and bounds.
Frank Mars He was quite happy with this course of life, and he never sought to create a large, world-famous corporation. He already wanted peaceful life in abundance, which he managed to provide for himself. But here his grown son Forrest Mars he wanted almost world domination and therefore in 1932, having received 50 thousand dollars and a recipe for a Milky Way bar from his father, he left for England.
Forrest creates a new bar that calls its name Mars, and unlike Milky Way and Snickers, it uses high-quality, delicate milk chocolate and caramel filling. To attract the attention of Europeans to his products, he is positioning the new Mars bar, not just as a sweet treat, but as a healthy treat. IN commercials the slogan appears that Mars is a charge of energy and strength and he helps relieve fatigue.
But Forrest's main discovery and the main product of his company was the appearance M&M's candy. Thanks to special containment Such candies did not melt in your hands, and their multi-colored coating attracted the attention of children.
But since 1950, Forrest begins to buy up and absorb many companies, and not only those involved in the production of sweets. The Mars company began to produce pet food, various drinks, instant foods, chewing gum and more.
And in 1970, the Forrest Mars Corporation developed and introduced vending machines throughout America. chocolates and bars, and later it became possible to charge these machines with tea, coffee and even ice cream. Forrest begins opening production facilities around the world.
Responsible for product packaging in the animal feed segment
About the main thing in Mars
For me, trust is one of the reasons to come to the office with joy. Trust in the company is evident at all levels: at work we are not afraid to ask questions and solve problems openly, outside of work we are family friends: we recommend trusted tutors and teachers to each other. Here they never fence themselves off from other people’s problems with their own status, don’t say “I don’t have time” and understand that ideas only get better if they are discussed with colleagues.
About the secret of productivity
At Mars they really support you in all your endeavors. It is absolutely not necessary to develop towards a leader: experts are valued no less here. At the same time, all requirements are transparent, employees know exactly what they need to work on, where to strive and what aspects to develop.
About openness
Everyone in the company is open to suggestions. If you have an idea, you can go directly to the line manager and outline your plan. Another opportunity is to take part in the annual ideas competition, best solutions are implemented, and the initiator becomes the project leader. Good example– Petstory platform. It was created to compare veterinary services and clinics and communicate with pet owners.
Develops relationships with clients
On the importance of interpersonal relationships in a company
Mars is a company about people, so interpersonal relationships they play very well here important role. This is noted not only by our current and former employees, but also many people who have worked in other industries. The company has a light, positive and relaxed atmosphere. She is conducive to building good, friendly relationships. You don’t withdraw into yourself, and if this happens, there will always be those who will support and help you cross the barrier. Thanks to this attitude, people become more relaxed and open, and interaction within the team becomes more effective. This makes it easier to form teams, work as one big whole and solve business problems. Mars is not a machine or a system; it has a soul.
About working in the European marketing team
In my second year at the company, I was lucky enough to join the European marketing team as part of an international talent exchange. I worked from the Russian office, but since all my colleagues were in different countries Europe, I sometimes went on business trips. Working remotely was a big challenge for me, and it was difficult for me at first. At this moment, my colleagues who supported me in every possible way helped me a lot: a line manager from England always found time to call me and discuss everyday business tasks and the development of my competencies. In fact, it was not much different from working shoulder to shoulder. Perhaps there was a lack of live interaction with colleagues on the project, but this was compensated for during business trips. We always wore them to team dinners and walked around the city. All colleagues were open and positive, they enthusiastically accepted me, a new recruit, into the team.
About employee charitable initiatives that make the world a better place
There is a community at Mars that provides support to homeless animals. Some employees go to shelters, where they help care for dogs and other pets and give them food from the company. And colleagues from the food segment plant trees every year on the site where a large area of forest has burned down. Planting has been going on for several years now, so you can already see the results of previous campaigns. By the way, the initiator of the project was one of our employees. Every day on his way to work, he passed the ashes of a burned-out forest and proposed restoring it; the local government joined the program. There are many examples in the company where people charged with a cool idea find the support of like-minded colleagues and together change something for the better. People invest their work time into such projects, and managers treat this with understanding.
Responsible for compliance of the company's products with legal requirements and interaction with the scientific community
About the changes
Over the 10 years of working in the company, I managed to change six roles. Having started working in my specialty on the development of new soups, I unnoticedly ended up in the commercial department of sauces, from there I moved to food safety and only a couple of years ago I became responsible for regulatory and technical regulation. The team helped me a lot in all my endeavors: they are a storehouse of expertise. I think that if you take all my knowledge, then 70% of it will consist of the experience and developments of my colleagues.
Oh happiness
Usually the feeling of happiness is retrospective, that is, we always think, oh, how good it was a year ago or a month ago. But at Mars it turns out differently: here and now I understand that I am doing what I love, surrounded by great people and an amazing atmosphere. Why does this feeling appear? Firstly, they don’t control what you did and when you did it, secondly, everything in the company is arranged so that you feel comfortable and pleasant at work, thirdly, you don’t stand still, every day you feel what you bring benefit.
About the atmosphere
Everything in the company is built on communication, which is why it is so important to maintain an atmosphere of trust and support. When a newcomer joins a company, he is immediately assigned a mentor and friend who helps him adapt and understand what’s what. We never get too personal, don’t give bad grades, and don’t give feedback. The most interesting thing is that if you go to another country, to another Mars office, you will feel the same involvement and attentiveness from your colleagues.
About tasks
Here you are not perceived as a beginner who needs time to build up; from the first days you are responsible for your own projects. For example, during my internship I was responsible for increasing sales in stores and increasing demand during New Year's holidays. Not bad for a female intern, right? Now I am responsible for interacting with clients online. Of course, at first you think: “I’m a small person, how can I cope with this?” But the support and attentiveness of colleagues, the desire to explain and teach help solve any problem.
About responsibility
At Mars you always feel that this is just the beginning, that even larger, more complex and interesting tasks await you ahead. This makes you feel responsible not only for the ideas that you propose, but also to understand that you yourself are the same project, a startup, that every minute you need to invest in development, study and set a goal to jump above your head - otherwise it’s not interesting.