Mars, Incorporated reported on Friday that they are to become the first confectionery company to voluntarily implement Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) nutrition labeling on all of its chocolate, non-chocolate confectionery and other food products. “All packages will be redesigned to feature new graphics on the front and back of packages, which contain consumer-friendly, clear and easy to understand nutrition information that will help consumers make informed choices at the point of purchase.... ...Read more »

Mars, Incorporated announced overnight that it has successfully completed its acquisition of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, following approval of the transaction by Wrigley stockholders on September 25, 2008 and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Upon completion of the US$23b acquisition, the Wrigley Company becomes a subsidiary of family-owned Mars, Incorporated and will retain its current headquarters in Chicago, Ilinois. Wrigley will operate as a separate business segment, alongside... ...Read more »

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (NYSE: WWY) announced overnight that its shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the adoption of the merger agreement with Mars, Incorporated.The combination of two of the globe’s most famous companies, will create a $27 billion food company and the world’s largest confectionery company. “We are pleased with the outcome of today’s vote,” said Bill Wrigley, Jr., Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board. “On behalf of the Company’s... ...Read more »

7-Eleven, Inc. last week named Mars Snackfood as the recipient of its US Retailer Initiative Award for 2007. The annual honour recognises a “top supplier and partner who excels at supporting 7-Eleven stores in meeting their customers’ changing needs through team merchandising, demand-chain solutions, cost of goods, category management, and creativity in advertising and promotional programs”. The collaboration between retailer and manufacturer is often vital to success... ...Read more »

The iconic Mars bar is getting a healthy makeover, with Mars Snackfood UK launching a ‘raising the bar’ campaign highlighting a range of nutritional improvements to their range of snackfood throughout Europe. Recipe modifications to the Mars bar and other leading chocolate products, coupled with packaging alterations, will be completed within weeks. Mars, Snickers, Milky Way and Twix will all become free from artificial preservatives, flavours and colours, with each product... ...Read more »

The Council of Better Business Bureaus has released its first report on the progress that participants in BBB’s groundbreaking self-regulation program - the ‘Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative’ - have made in changing the children’s food and beverage advertising landscape. BBB has assessed the participants’ compliance with their pledges regarding child-directed advertising of their food and beverage products and concluded that the participants... ...Read more »

The European Commission has cleared, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of sole control of Wrigley by Mars. The EU concluded that the proposed transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. In April this year Wrigley, the world leading gum maker, agreed to the takeover by Mars Inc., with Wrigley to become a subsidiary of Mars. Mars, a US-based family-owned company is a global leader in confectionery,... ...Read more »

Mars Direct Inc., a division of Mars Snackfood US, has recently announced the launch of MY M&M’S Faces - a new innovation in personalisation, which allows consumers to put their favorite faces on M&M’S Chocolate Candies. The innovation is an attempt by Mars to build a greater connection between consumers and their M&M brand, and provides differentiation in the increasingly crowded confectionery marketplace. The product is only available online and the creation is made possible... ...Read more »

The United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Mars, Incorporated, and IBM are combining their scientific resources to sequence and analyze the entire cocoa genome. Sequencing the cocoa genome is viewed by the organizations as a significant scientific step that may allow more directed breeding of cocoa plants and potentially enhance the quality of cocoa - the key ingredient in chocolate. The collaboration hopes to enable farmers to plant better quality... ...Read more »

In a move believed to be a world first, 37 of the UK’s leading food and consumer goods companies yesterday announced a major transport collaboration that will significantly reduce the environmental impact of transporting food and groceries in the UK. Initiatives such as sharing vehicles and more efficient warehousing will result in the industry saving 48 million miles of travel by the end of 2008 alone - equivalent to removing 800 lorries from Britain’s roads - and conserving 23 million... ...Read more »