Mars featured in America 250 docuseries as it highlights 115 years of brand innovation

Mars, Incorporated is featured today in the America 250 documentary series on USA TODAY as the company marks 115 years and ties its American roots to new consumer-brand innovation. The segment spotlights Mars’ U.S. manufacturing footprint, legacy brands and expansion into snacking, food and pet care as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.

Why it matters: - Mars is using the America 250 spotlight to connect its long U.S. history with its current push into new snacking, food and pet care formats. - The company’s scale matters for the U.S. economy. Mars says 94% of products sold in the U.S. are made domestically, and it operates 53 factories, research labs and offices in the country. - Mars is also positioning itself around jobs and manufacturing resilience, with more than 80,000 U.S.-based Associates and a domestic footprint that includes more than 2,000 veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What happened: - Mars, Incorporated appears in the “America 250” documentary series distributed with Acumen Media and featured on USA TODAY. - The segment is part of the commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary. - The film includes interviews with Anton Vincent, president of Mars Snacking, North America and Global Ice Cream, and Theresa McCulla, Mars Museum Curator. - The segment also shows museum artifacts tied to the company’s history, including an original M&M’S cardboard tube from 1941 and a PRINGLES can from 1968. - Mars shared a campaign video on USA TODAY as part of the launch.

The details: - Mars says the company has been woven into American life for 115 years. - The business began in 1911, when founder Frank C. Mars started selling candy from his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington. - Mars expanded into food and pet care in the U.S. with Converted Rice, now Ben’s Original, in 1942 and Kal Kan, now PEDIGREE, in 1968. - Company brands have intersected with key U.S. milestones, including M&M’S rations for U.S. service members during World War II. - Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit became the first packaged good scanned with a UPC barcode in 1974. - Mars says it now has more than 130 brands globally and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. - Mars said it has more than 80,000 U.S. Associates and more than 170,000 Associates worldwide. - Mars is also highlighting new products such as Ben’s Original Single-Serve Cups and PEDIGREE DRIZZLERS savory sauce toppers. - Recent acquisitions including Kellanova, Nature’s Bakery and TRÜ FRÜ expand Mars into savory snacking, breakfast and better-for-you categories. - The company says those moves are part of a broader effort to meet changing consumer and pet parent needs. - Mars says it is a $65 billion-plus family-owned business based on combined Mars and Kellanova 2025 net sales. - The company says its portfolio includes ROYAL CANIN, PEDIGREE, WHISKAS, CESAR, M&M’S, SNICKERS, EXTRA, Pringles, Cheez-It and BEN’S ORIGINAL. - Mars says its veterinary businesses include BANFIELD, BLUEPEARL, VCA and ANICURA, plus ANTECH diagnostics.

Between the lines: - Mars is framing the docuseries appearance as both a heritage moment and a modern brand strategy move. - The message is that legacy brands alone are not enough; Mars is also signaling continued investment in manufacturing, research and supply chains. - The company’s America 250 ties, festival sponsorships and civic programming suggest an effort to link consumer brands with national identity and public goodwill. - Mars’ emphasis on domestic production and job creation also places the company within a broader political and economic conversation about U.S. manufacturing. - The National Confectioners Association says the confectionery industry has created 696,588 domestic jobs and generates $49 billion in U.S. economic output.

What's next: - Mars will continue its America 250 sponsorships and partnerships in the months ahead. - The company is participating in the National Confectioners Association’s Sweet Land of Liberty campaign, which highlights chocolate and candy’s role in American culture and the economy. - Mars is also supporting the Heritage Chocolate Society’s new Mars, Inc. History Tellers Award through its AMERICAN HERITAGE chocolate brand. - The company remains a founding sponsor of Civic Season, a youth program that runs between Juneteenth and July 4 to encourage civic participation. - Vincent said Mars will keep investing in local manufacturing, advanced research and resilient supply chains as it looks toward the next 250 years.