Mars Inc: The Private Company Behind Billions in Brands

The Richest Family Company You Almost Never Hear About

Mars Inc generates over $45 billion in annual revenue, employs approximately 150,000 people globally, and owns some of the most recognized food brands in the world. The Mars family, which has controlled the company since its founding in 1911, has an estimated combined net worth exceeding $90 billion, making them among the wealthiest families in the United States.

Yet Mars operates almost entirely outside the public spotlight. The company does not trade on any stock exchange. It does not publish detailed financial results. It does not seek analyst coverage or investor presentations. For over a century, Mars has conducted its business with a level of privacy that is rare among companies of its scale.

The brands it owns are anything but obscure. M&M's and Snickers are among the best-selling candy bars in the world. Pedigree and Royal Canin are among the most recognized pet food brands globally. Wrigley gum, through brands including Extra, Orbit, and Doublemint, dominates the global chewing gum market. Ben's Original is one of the world's largest rice brands.

This guide maps the Mars Inc portfolio, traces the company's acquisition history, and explains how a privately held family company became one of the largest food and pet care businesses on earth.

Mars Inc: Company Overview

Mars Inc was founded by Frank C. Mars in Tacoma, Washington in 1911. Frank's early business efforts included producing and selling butter cream candy from his kitchen. His first successful commercial venture was the Nougat Bar, followed by the Milky Way in 1923. Frank's son, Forrest Mars Sr., brought the Snickers bar to market in 1930 and the Mars bar in 1932, before a falling out with his father led him to move to England where he ran the UK candy business independently.

The business that emerged from the family's complicated internal history eventually reunified and grew into the private multinational that exists today, controlled by the three children of Forrest Mars Jr.: John F. Mars, Victoria Mars, and Pamela Mars-Wright.

The Confectionery Portfolio

Mars is one of the two largest confectionery companies in the world alongside Mondelez International (formerly Kraft Foods' snacks division). Mars's chocolate and candy brands are the most commercially prominent part of the portfolio by public recognition.

[Snickers](/brands/snickers) is the world's best-selling candy bar by global retail value, generating an estimated $2 billion or more in annual worldwide sales. The peanut, caramel, and nougat bar was created by Frank Mars in 1930 and named after the family's favorite horse.

[M&M's](/brands/m-and-ms) were created by Forrest Mars Sr. and Bruce Murrie in 1941, inspired in part by Spanish Civil War soldiers eating candy-coated chocolate that did not melt. The brand generates an estimated $3 billion or more in global annual sales and is the most widely recognized candy brand in many markets.

[Twix](/brands/twix) is a chocolate-covered shortbread and caramel bar launched in the UK in 1967 (as Raider in some European markets) and introduced to the United States in 1979. The left and right Twix marketing campaign, which positioned the two bars in a bar as separate competing products, is one of the more creative brand differentiation strategies in candy marketing.

[Milky Way](/brands/milky-way) was launched in 1923 and was the first commercially successful candy bar with a nougat center. Note that the Milky Way sold in the United States (nougat, caramel, and chocolate) differs from the Milky Way sold in Europe (nougat and chocolate only, no caramel), which is closer to what Americans know as the 3 Musketeers bar.

[Mars Bar](/brands/mars-bar) is the original Mars candy product, developed by Forrest Mars Sr. for the European market. The UK Mars Bar was discontinued and reformulated multiple times before being discontinued in the United States in 2002. The bar remains a major confectionery product in Europe, Australia, and many other markets.

[Bounty](/brands/bounty) is a coconut and chocolate bar sold primarily in Europe and international markets. It is not widely distributed in the United States. Bounty has been part of Mars's European confectionery portfolio since 1951.

[Skittles](/brands/skittles) are fruit-flavored chewy candies that Mars acquired as part of its 2008 purchase of the Wrigley Company. Skittles are particularly popular in North America and have been one of the fastest-growing candy brands globally over the past decade.

The Wrigley Acquisition: A Transformational Deal

In 2008, Mars completed the acquisition of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company for approximately $23 billion, the largest acquisition in Mars's history and one of the largest private acquisitions in the consumer goods sector at the time. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway contributed approximately $4.4 billion in financing to the deal in exchange for preferred stock, giving Berkshire a financial interest in the combined business.

The Wrigley acquisition was transformational for Mars. It brought the world's largest chewing gum business under the Mars umbrella alongside the confectionery portfolio.

[Wrigley's](/brands/wrigley) brand family includes Extra, Orbit, Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, Starburst (also acquired through Wrigley), and Skittles. The combined gum and candy portfolio made Mars the clear global leader in the broader sugar confectionery category.

[Extra](/brands/extra-gum) is the world's best-selling sugarfree chewing gum brand.

[Orbit](/brands/orbit-gum) is Extra's principal competitor within the Mars portfolio, positioned with a strong presence in European and Latin American markets.

[Starburst](/brands/starburst) is the leading fruit chew candy brand in the United States, with a particularly strong following among younger consumers.

Mars Petcare: The Larger Business

Many consumers are surprised to learn that pet food, not candy, is the largest business within Mars Inc by revenue. The company's petcare division, Mars Petcare, generates approximately 59% of group revenue, an estimated $26 to $29 billion annually.

Mars has built the world's most comprehensive portfolio of pet food and veterinary care brands through a series of acquisitions spanning more than five decades.

[Pedigree](/brands/pedigree) is the world's largest dog food brand by sales, operating in over 50 countries. Mars has owned the brand since developing it internally in the 1950s and 1960s under various names before standardizing on Pedigree globally.

[Royal Canin](/brands/royal-canin) is a French premium pet nutrition brand acquired by Mars in 2001 for approximately 500 million euros. Royal Canin occupies the super-premium tier of the pet food market, with veterinarian-specific formulations sold primarily through pet specialty stores and veterinary clinics. Following the acquisition, Royal Canin's revenues grew from approximately 300 million euros to an estimated 3.5 billion euros by the early 2020s under Mars's stewardship.

[Whiskas](/brands/whiskas) is the world's best-selling cat food brand by volume. Like Pedigree, Whiskas was developed internally by Mars in the 1960s.

[Cesar](/brands/cesar) is Mars's premium wet dog food brand, positioned in small and toy breed dog segments.

[Banfield Pet Hospital](/brands/banfield) is the largest chain of veterinary clinics in the United States, primarily located within PetSmart retail stores. Mars acquired Banfield in 2007. As of early 2026, Banfield operates over 1,000 clinics across the United States.

VCA Inc. is a veterinary hospital and diagnostic laboratory company acquired by Mars in 2017 for approximately $9.1 billion. VCA operates over 900 animal hospitals and over 60 veterinary laboratories across the United States and Canada. The acquisition made Mars the largest owner of veterinary practices in North America.

AniCura and Linnaeus are European veterinary hospital groups acquired by Mars in 2018 and 2019 respectively, extending the company's veterinary practice ownership into Europe.

[Wisdom Panel](/brands/wisdom-panel) provides dog DNA testing kits, acquired by Mars Petcare in 2006. The service has grown significantly with the broader consumer DNA testing trend.

Food and Drink

Beyond confectionery and pet care, Mars operates a food division that includes several major brands.

[Ben's Original](/brands/bens-original) (formerly Uncle Ben's) is one of the world's largest rice brands. Mars acquired the brand in 1942. In 2020, following widespread consumer and cultural criticism of the brand's imagery and name, Mars rebranded Uncle Ben's to Ben's Original, removing the original mascot and renaming the product globally.

[Dolmio](/brands/dolmio) is a pasta sauce brand sold primarily in the UK and international markets.

[Ketchup Kraft](/brands/ketchup) is not part of Mars; however, Mars's condiment and sauce brands compete in similar categories in several international markets.

How Mars Stays Private

Mars Inc's decision to remain privately held is deliberate and deeply embedded in the company's culture. The "Five Principles" that guide Mars's corporate behavior, quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency, and freedom, explicitly include freedom from external financial obligations as a value. The company has resisted repeated suggestions from financial advisors that it should consider a public listing.

The benefits of private ownership for Mars are tangible. The company does not face quarterly earnings pressure and can invest in long-term projects without justifying them to public shareholders. The $23 billion Wrigley acquisition and the $9.1 billion VCA transaction were both large enough that a public company would have faced significant shareholder scrutiny. Mars executed them on its own timeline.

The trade-off is limited access to public capital markets. Mars has at times used debt financing for large acquisitions, including the Berkshire Hathaway partnership for the Wrigley deal. The company's debt levels following major acquisitions have reportedly been a priority for management to reduce before pursuing further large transactions.

Mars vs. Nestle vs. Mondelez

Mars is unique among major consumer goods companies in combining dominant positions in both confectionery and pet care, two categories that have very different consumer dynamics, purchase frequencies, and growth trajectories. Pet food in particular has been one of the most consistently growing consumer categories over the past decade as pet ownership has increased globally and premiumization has lifted average spending per pet. Mars's early and sustained investment in premium pet food brands, particularly Royal Canin, has created a revenue base that is substantially larger than the candy portfolio that most consumers associate with the company.

Mars's $2 Billion US Manufacturing Investment

In early 2025, Mars announced a $2 billion investment in US manufacturing through 2026, one of the largest capital commitments in the company's history. The investment spans new and expanded manufacturing facilities for confectionery, pet food, and food products across multiple US states. The announcement reflected both the strength of Mars's US demand and a broader commitment to domestic production as trade policy uncertainty increased.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mars Inc publicly traded? No. Mars Inc is a privately held company controlled by the Mars family. The three primary shareholders are John F. Mars, Victoria Mars, and Pamela Mars-Wright. The company does not trade on any stock exchange and does not publicly disclose financial results. Revenue and financial estimates from industry analysts and media are approximations, not audited figures.

What is Mars's largest brand by revenue? Pet food, not candy, represents the largest segment of Mars's business. Pedigree and Royal Canin are likely the highest-revenue individual brands in the portfolio, though the company does not disclose brand-level financials. In confectionery, M&M's and Snickers are among the highest-selling individual candy brands globally.

How did Mars acquire Wrigley? Mars acquired the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 2008 for approximately $23 billion. The transaction was financed through a combination of Mars's own capital and approximately $4.4 billion in preferred stock financing provided by Berkshire Hathaway, giving Berkshire a financial interest in the combined company. The deal brought Extra, Orbit, Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, Starburst, and Skittles into the Mars portfolio alongside the existing Wrigley gum brands.

Who owns VCA veterinary hospitals? VCA Inc. is wholly owned by Mars Petcare, a division of Mars Inc. Mars acquired VCA in 2017 for approximately $9.1 billion in one of the largest veterinary medicine acquisitions in history. VCA operates over 900 animal hospitals and approximately 60 veterinary laboratories across the United States and Canada.

Why did Uncle Ben's change its name? In June 2020, Mars announced that it would rebrand Uncle Ben's rice following widespread criticism that the brand's imagery, which featured a Black man in a bow tie as a serving figure, perpetuated racial stereotypes. The product was rebranded as Ben's Original in 2020 and 2021 across global markets. The rebrand included removal of the original mascot image from packaging.

Explore Related Brands

• M&M's - Global candy brand, world's most recognized chocolate-coated confectionery
• Snickers - World's best-selling candy bar by global retail value
• Pedigree - World's largest dog food brand by sales, owned by Mars Petcare
• Royal Canin - Super-premium pet nutrition, acquired 2001 for ~500 million euros
• Wrigley - Chewing gum portfolio, acquired 2008 for $23 billion
• Ben's Original - Global rice brand, rebranded from Uncle Ben's in 2020

Browse all food and beverage brands on WhoBrands

Sources

• Mars Inc Company Website — https://www.mars.com/about/company-information
• Mars Brands Portfolio — https://www.mars.com/our-brands
• Mars $2B US Manufacturing Investment — https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/press-releases-statements/mars-invest-2-billion-us-manufacturing-through-2026
• Wikipedia: List of Mars Inc Brands — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mars_Inc._brands
• Acquired Briefing: Mars Inc Analysis — https://www.acquiredbriefing.com/p/mars-inc
• Thomasnet: Mars Company Overview — https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/jacqueline-mars-companies/

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com research methodology. Last updated: March 4, 2026.