Who Owns Maltesers?

• Parent Company: Mars, Incorporated
• Ownership Type: Brand division
• Company Type: Publicly Traded

• Founded: 1936
• Founders: Mars, Incorporated (UK operations)

• Founded: 1911
• Headquarters: McLean, Virginia, USA
• Company Type: Publicly Traded
• Revenue: approximately $50 billion (FY2024, estimated)
• Employees: Over 150,000

Visit Mars, Incorporated website

• Headquarters: McLean, Virginia, USA
• Manufacturing / Operations: United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia

Maltesers operates under Mars, Incorporated's comprehensive sustainability framework, which includes the company's "Cocoa for Generations" strategy focused on creating a modern, inclusive and sustainable cocoa ecosystem. As one of Mars' iconic chocolate brands, Maltesers participates in the company's ambitious environmental and social responsibility initiatives while maintaining its position as a beloved global chocolate confectionery.

Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action: Mars has committed to achieving significant environmental improvements through its Sustainable in a Generation Plan. In 2024, Mars delivered another 1.9 percentage points of absolute greenhouse gas reductions, with an overall absolute reduction now standing at 16.4% across the full value chain against a 2015 baseline. Maltesers production benefits from these company-wide environmental initiatives, including renewable energy adoption and manufacturing efficiency improvements.

Responsible Cocoa Sourcing: Maltesers participates in Mars's comprehensive cocoa sustainability programs, with Mars targeting 100% responsibly sourced and traceable cocoa by 2025. As of January 2023, all cocoa used in Mars products including Maltesers was sourced as deforestation and conversion-free. Mars works with more than 350,000 farmers in its global cocoa supply chain, implementing programs that support farmer livelihoods and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Cocoa for Generations Program: Maltesers cocoa is sourced through Mars's Cocoa for Generations initiative, which focuses on improving farmer incomes, empowering women, and protecting children in cocoa-growing communities. The program includes third-party certification and traceability from farm to the first point of purchase, ensuring ethical practices throughout Maltesers' cocoa supply chain.

Supply Chain Ethics and Human Rights: Mars conducts human rights assessments across its value chain and implements child and forced labor risk mitigation efforts with cocoa suppliers, cooperatives, and farmers in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Maltesers production adheres to Mars's Workplace Code of Conduct, which articulates social, environmental, and ethical expectations aligned with international law and global frameworks.

Sustainable Packaging and Materials: Maltesers packaging is part of Mars's broader sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact through packaging innovation and material efficiency. Mars is working toward sustainable packaging solutions across all product lines, including Maltesers, to minimize waste and increase recycled content usage.

Inclusive Business and Diversity: Maltesers has gained recognition for its commitment to diversity and inclusion in advertising and brand representation. The brand has pioneered inclusive casting practices and storytelling that represents diverse communities, including disabled women, older women, women of color, lesbian women, and single mothers. Maltesers' approach to diversity has been acknowledged as industry-leading and is being expanded across Mars's broader brand portfolio.

Community Impact and Social Programs: Through Mars's sustainability initiatives, Maltesers contributes to community development programs in cocoa-growing regions. These programs focus on education, healthcare, and economic empowerment, supporting the long-term sustainability of the communities that produce Maltesers' key ingredients.

Maltesers has received significant recognition for its innovative approach to diversity and inclusion in advertising, as well as its sustained market leadership in the chocolate confectionery category. The brand's awards reflect both its commercial success and its progressive approach to brand representation and social impact.

Marketing Week Brand of the Year: Maltesers was crowned Marketing Week's Brand of the Year for its groundbreaking approach to diversity and inclusion in advertising. The award recognized Maltesers for pioneering inclusive casting practices and telling stories that had been underrepresented in mainstream advertising, particularly featuring disabled women, older women, women of color, lesbian women, and single mothers.

Channel 4 Diversity Competition: Maltesers won Channel 4's first competition aimed at encouraging brands to show more diversity in their advertising. The victory came with a £1 million media package and established Maltesers as a leader in inclusive advertising, setting new standards for representation in the confectionery industry and beyond.

Market Leadership Recognition: Maltesers consistently ranks among the top-selling chocolate confectionery products in the United Kingdom, maintaining strong consumer loyalty over nearly 90 years. The brand's dominant position in the UK, Australia, and Ireland markets has been recognized through industry awards for market performance and brand strength.

Brand Heritage Achievement: Maltesers' nearly 90-year history has been recognized as a significant achievement in the competitive confectionery industry, where many brands have failed to maintain market position over such extended periods. The brand's evolution from "Energy Balls" in 1936 to its current global status demonstrates remarkable brand longevity and adaptability.

Marketing Excellence: Maltesers has received recognition for its advertising campaigns and marketing strategies, particularly for their ability to communicate the brand's unique texture and taste differentiation effectively. The brand's marketing has been acknowledged by advertising industry organizations for creating memorable campaigns that resonate with British consumers.

Retail Partnership Recognition: Maltesers has been acknowledged by retail partners for its strong sales performance, consistent quality, and effective category management. The brand's reliability as a top-selling chocolate product has earned recognition from major retailers and convenience store chains across the UK and international markets.

Global Expansion Success: Maltesers' successful expansion from its UK origins to distribution in over 50 countries has been recognized as an achievement in global brand development. The brand's ability to maintain cultural relevance while adapting to different international markets demonstrates effective global brand management strategies.

Maltesers has maintained a relatively strong safety record throughout its nearly 90-year history, though the brand has faced some challenges typical of the food manufacturing industry, including a significant recall incident in 2018 and ongoing intellectual property disputes. These incidents have required management attention but have not significantly damaged the brand's long-term market position or consumer trust.

Salmonella Recall (2018): In January 2018, Mars Ireland issued a recall for Maltesers Fun Size bags due to potential Salmonella contamination. The recall resulted from a logistics error where two pallets of chocolate products that had been isolated for destruction following a June 2017 recall were accidentally placed on the market by a third-party logistics partner. The affected Maltesers products had batch code 720A1SLO00 and a best-before date of May 13, 2018. Mars Ireland advised consumers not to eat the specific batches and worked closely with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and retail customers to ensure impacted products were removed from sale. There were no reports of illness related to the incident.

Original Salmonella Recall (2017): The 2018 incident followed a broader Mars chocolate recall in June 2017 due to potential Salmonella from ingredients used at a Mars plant in Slough, UK. This original recall affected multiple Mars chocolate products and prompted enhanced quality control and safety protocols across the company's manufacturing operations. The 2017 recall established the procedures that were later violated in the 2018 logistics error.

Hershey Trademark Dispute (2014): Mars accused The Hershey Company of copying Maltesers in the United States, filing a lawsuit alleging trademark infringement. Mars asserted that it created the chocolate-covered malt ball candy in 1936 and branded it Maltesers, while Hershey had owned the Malteser trademark in the United States for over 15 years. Hershey vigorously defended against the litigation, calling it "groundless." The intellectual property dispute highlighted the complexities of global brand management and trademark protection in the confectionery industry.

Quality Control and Supply Chain Challenges: Like all food manufacturers, Maltesers faces ongoing challenges related to maintaining consistent quality across global supply chains. The brand must navigate issues related to ingredient sourcing, manufacturing standards, and distribution logistics while ensuring food safety and product consistency across hundreds of production batches and international markets.

Environmental and Sustainability Scrutiny: As part of Mars' broader operations, Maltesers faces increasing scrutiny regarding environmental sustainability, particularly regarding cocoa farming practices, deforestation concerns, and packaging waste. While Mars has implemented comprehensive sustainability initiatives through its Cocoa for Generations program, the chocolate industry as a whole continues to face pressure from environmental organizations and consumers regarding environmental impact.

Nutritional and Health Considerations: Maltesers, like other chocolate confectionery products, faces ongoing discussions about nutritional content, sugar levels, and health impacts. The brand must balance traditional indulgence positioning with evolving consumer preferences for healthier options and greater transparency about nutritional information.

Market Competition and Pricing Pressures: Maltesers operates in a highly competitive chocolate market, facing pressure from both traditional chocolate manufacturers and emerging premium and artisanal chocolate brands. The brand must maintain its premium positioning and value proposition while adapting to changing market dynamics and consumer preferences in the global confectionery industry.