Who Owns Snickers?
Snickers is owned by Mars, Incorporated, a privately held American multinational confectionery and food company. The brand was created in 1930 and is the world's best-selling chocolate bar. Mars is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, USA.
Parent Company
Mars, Incorporated
Founded
1930
Status
Private
Headquarters
McLean, Virginia, USA
Who Owns Snickers?
- Parent Company: Mars, Incorporated
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Snickers | Mars, Incorporated | Wholly owned |
History of Snickers
- Founded: 1930
- Founders: Mars, Incorporated (internal development)
Snickers was introduced by Mars in 1930, named after the Mars family's favorite horse. This founding vision demonstrated exceptional insight into the growing demand for snacks confectionery solutions while establishing a distinctive approach that would define the snacks confectionery category for generations. The chocolate bar was created by Frank Mars, combining nougat, caramel, roasted peanuts, and milk chocolate coating into a single satisfying bar. The distinctive combination of textures and flavors quickly set Snickers apart from other candy bars of the era. This strategic positioning demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to create differentiated snacks confectionery solutions while maintaining consistent brand positioning and quality standards that would define the brand for decades.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Snickers gained significant popularity across the United States, becoming a staple in candy stores, drugstores, and vending machines. This period of excellence demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to scale operations while maintaining consistent brand positioning and quality standards across multiple snacks confectionery segments. During World War II, Snickers bars were included in military rations, introducing the brand to American servicemen stationed around the world and building lasting brand loyalty. This strategic diversification demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to serve multiple consumer segments while maintaining its core brand identity and market leadership in the snacks confectionery industry.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Snickers expanded internationally, initially entering European and Asian markets. This continued evolution demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to maintain market relevance while adapting to changing snacks confectionery requirements and technological advancements. In United Kingdom and other markets, the bar was sold under the name "Marathon" until 1990, when Mars unified the branding globally under the Snickers name. This global rebranding was one of the largest in confectionery history. This continued excellence demonstrates Snickers's exceptional ability to maintain market leadership while adapting to changing snacks confectionery dynamics and regulatory requirements. This strategic integration demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to integrate into larger snacks confectionery corporations while maintaining its core brand identity and cultural significance in the chocolate industry.
Snickers became the world's best-selling chocolate bar in the 1990s, a position it has maintained for over three decades. This continued evolution demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to maintain market relevance while adapting to changing snacks confectionery requirements and corporate dynamics. The brand's iconic "You're Not You When You're Hungry" advertising campaign, launched in 2010, became one of the most recognized marketing campaigns in the world, featuring celebrities and humor to reinforce the bar's positioning as a satisfying hunger solution. Mars has introduced numerous product extensions including Snickers Ice Cream Bars, Snickers Almond, Snickers Peanut Brownie, and limited-edition flavors, while the core original formula remains unchanged. This continued success represents a significant milestone in the evolution of chocolate and consumer-focused snacks confectionery solutions. This strategic partnership demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to leverage corporate resources while maintaining its distinct snacks confectionery identity and market leadership. This continued excellence demonstrates Snickers's exceptional ability to maintain market leadership while adapting to changing snacks confectionery dynamics and regulatory requirements. This strategic integration demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to integrate into larger snacks confectionery corporations while maintaining its core brand identity and cultural significance in the chocolate industry. This continued success represents a significant milestone in the evolution of chocolate and consumer-focused snacks confectionery solutions. This strategic partnership demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to leverage corporate resources while maintaining its distinct snacks confectionery identity and market leadership. This continued excellence demonstrates Snickers's exceptional ability to maintain market leadership while adapting to changing snacks confectionery dynamics and regulatory requirements. This strategic integration demonstrated Snickers's exceptional ability to integrate into larger snacks confectionery corporations while maintaining its core brand identity and cultural significance in the chocolate industry.
About Mars, Incorporated
Mars operates through three primary business segments: Pet Care, Snacking, and Food. The company's private ownership structure means it does not publicly disclose detailed financial results, but industry estimates place annual revenues above $50 billion, making Mars one of the largest food companies in the world by revenue.
The Pet Care segment, operating under the Mars Petcare division, is one of the world's largest pet food businesses, with brands including Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin, Sheba, Eukanuba, Iams, Cesar, and Nutro. Mars Petcare also operates Banfield Pet Hospital, the largest private veterinary practice in the United States, and various other veterinary and pet health services businesses. The pet care segment has been a major growth driver for Mars as pet ownership and premium pet nutrition spending have increased globally.
The Snacking segment includes Mars's confectionery and snacking brands, encompassing M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles, Starburst, Dove, Galaxy, Maltesers, and Celebrations, among many others. The December 2025 acquisition of Kellanova added Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR, and other snacking brands to this segment, significantly expanding Mars's presence in savory snacks and better-for-you snacking categories.
The Food segment includes Ben's Original (formerly Uncle Ben's), Dolmio, Seeds of Change, and other food brands. This segment has been the smallest of the three primary divisions but provides important diversification across food categories.
- Founded: 1911
- Headquarters: McLean, Virginia, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
Where Is Snickers Made / Based?
- Headquarters: McLean, Virginia, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Europe, Australia, Mexico, China
Brands Owned by Mars, Incorporated
- Celebrations - British chocolate assortment brand featuring a variety of chocolate candies, own...
- Cheez-It - American brand of cheese cracker snacks originally made by Kellogg's Kellanova d...
- Galaxy Chocolate - British chocolate brand owned by Mars, Incorporated, known for smooth and creamy...
- M&M's - American brand of candy-coated chocolate confections produced by Mars, Incorpora...
- Maltesers - British chocolate confectionery brand owned by Mars, Incorporated, consisting of...
- Pedigree - American pet food brand known for its affordable dog food and treats, focusing o...
- Pop-Tarts - American brand of toaster pastries filled with various flavors, now owned by Mar...
- Skittles - American brand of fruit-flavored candy known for its colorful shell coating and ...
- Whiskas - Global brand of cat food products including wet food, dry food, and treats, prod...
Snickers Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +World-leading brand recognition and market position
- +Extensive global distribution and availability
- +Backing from Mars' confectionery expertise and resources
- +Consistent quality assurance and manufacturing standards
- +Continuous product innovation and marketing investment
- +Strong supply chain and ingredient sourcing capabilities
Considerations
- -Premium pricing compared to store-brand chocolate bars
- -Competition from other chocolate bar brands
- -Dependency on Mars' corporate strategy and supply chain
- -Environmental impact of packaging materials
- -Regulatory requirements for food manufacturing and marketing
- -Market saturation in developed countries
Frequently Asked Questions About Snickers
Competitors to Snickers
No direct competitors found in the same category. This could be because Snickersoperates in a unique market segment or we're still building our competitor database.
Jobs at Mars, Incorporated
Latest News About Snickers
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Mars, Incorporated
American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products, and one of the largest privately held companies in the world.