Mars Wrigley

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The global confectionery and chewing-gum business of privately held Mars, Incorporated, bringing together brands such as M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Skittles, Orbit, Extra and Starburst.

Last updated October 14, 2026

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First read: Nov 3, 2026
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Overview

Mars Wrigley is the confectionery operating business of Mars, Incorporated, bringing together Mars's chocolate activities with the former Wrigley chewing-gum business. Its portfolio spans chocolate, gum, mints, and fruity confectionery, with internationally recognized brands including SNICKERS, M&M'S, TWIX, DOVE, GALAXY, MALTESERS, EXTRA, ORBIT, DOUBLEMINT, ALTOIDS, LIFESAVERS, SKITTLES, and STARBURST. Product availability varies by country, and some brands are marketed under different names in different regions. The business was created through a restructuring announced in October 2016. Mars had acquired Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 2008 in a transaction valued at approximately $23 billion, with Berkshire Hathaway participating as a financing and minority-investment partner. Wrigley brought Mars a major global position in chewing gum and mints, while Mars contributed a large chocolate and sugar-confectionery portfolio. After Mars bought out Berkshire Hathaway's remaining interest in Wrigley, the two operations were combined as Mars Wrigley Confectionery, later commonly branded as Mars Wrigley. Mars Wrigley's commercial model combines mass-market packaged confectionery, convenience retail, grocery, impulse purchasing, seasonal occasions, and increasingly digital commerce. The business markets both indulgent products and products positioned around sharing, refreshment, portioning, or permissible snacking. Its brands are supported by large-scale television, digital, social, retail-media, sports, entertainment, and creator-led campaigns. Marketing has included long-running global platforms such as SNICKERS's hunger-based advertising, M&M'S character-led entertainment, gum communications focused on freshness and confidence, and localized digital-commerce programs. Recent activity has emphasized data-driven personalization, livestream shopping, social listening, and refreshed brand identities intended to maintain relevance with younger consumers. Mars Wrigley is not a separately listed public company. It operates within Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned private company whose other businesses include pet care, food, and related activities. The confectionery division has historically been headquartered in Chicago, reflecting Wrigley's corporate and research presence there, while Mars's global corporate headquarters are in McLean, Virginia. The supplied country attribution of France does not match the subject's corporate identity or documented headquarters; this dossier therefore identifies the business with the United States.

History

Mars Wrigley's history is rooted in two separate confectionery businesses. Mars developed a major chocolate portfolio around products such as M&M'S, SNICKERS, TWIX, DOVE, GALAXY, and MALTESERS. Wrigley, founded as a chewing-gum company, built a global presence through brands including JUICY FRUIT, DOUBLEMINT, EXTRA, and ORBIT. The businesses operated independently for most of their histories. In 2008, Mars, Incorporated partnered with Berkshire Hathaway to acquire Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in an all-cash transaction reported at approximately $23 billion. The acquisition substantially expanded Mars's presence in gum and mints and created a broader confectionery platform. Wrigley continued to operate with significant autonomy during the following years, while Mars retained its established chocolate operations. Mars later moved to simplify the structure. In October 2016, it announced that it would buy Berkshire Hathaway's remaining equity interest in Wrigley and combine the Chocolate and Wrigley segments. The resulting business was named Mars Wrigley Confectionery, with Martin Radvan, then Wrigley's global president and a longtime Mars executive, selected to lead it. The combination brought chocolate, gum, mints, and fruity confectionery under one operating organization and was intended to improve coordination around customers, consumers, and global category trends. The combined business was headquartered in Chicago, where Wrigley had a longstanding corporate and innovation presence, while Mars continued to be headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Over time, the portfolio was managed as a global snacking and confectionery business, with different regional assortments and brand names reflecting local markets. Mars Wrigley's later development has focused on maintaining the relevance of established brands while expanding digital marketing and commerce capabilities. Campaigns have used social listening, retail-media personalization, creator commerce, livestreaming, cultural partnerships, and major sports events. The business has also refreshed gum and mint communications and connected advertising with broader Mars sustainability messaging. Its present identity is therefore both a portfolio of famous consumer brands and a division within Mars's privately held global food and pet-care group.

2024
Global gum and mint brand refresh
[3]Mars Wrigley refreshes gum brands with Chew Good platformcampaignasia.com
Mars Wrigley introduced the Chew Good platform and refreshed creative treatment for its gum and mint portfolio.
2023
M&M's campaign is paused
[9]Reuters report on the M&M's campaign pausereuters.com
Mars paused the M&M's character campaign after public controversy and shifted attention to a campaign featuring Maya Rudolph.
2022
M&M's character redesign
[8]M&M's character informationmms.com
Mars Wrigley updated the M&M's characters and brand presentation as part of a new marketing platform.
2017
Mars Wrigley Confectionery begins operating as a combined business
[1]Mars, Incorporated to Combine Chocolate and Wrigley Segmentsmars.com
The new organization brought Mars chocolate, Wrigley gum and mints, and related confectionery brands into one segment.
2016
Mars announces the combined confectionery business
[1]Mars, Incorporated to Combine Chocolate and Wrigley Segmentsmars.com
Mars bought out Berkshire Hathaway's interest and announced the combination of its Chocolate and Wrigley segments into Mars Wrigley Confectionery.
2016
Mars Wrigley Confectionery is created
[12]Mars Wrigley Confectionery is createdmars.com
Mars combined its chocolate and sugar-confectionery activities with Wrigley into the Mars Wrigley Confectionery business.
2008
Mars acquires Wrigley
[2]Mars, Incorporateden.wikipedia.org
Mars and Berkshire Hathaway participated in the approximately $23 billion acquisition of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, adding a major global chewing-gum and mint portfolio to Mars's confectionery operations.
1941
M&M's is introduced
[11]M&M's is introducedmms.com
M&M's was introduced in the United States and later became one of Mars's most internationally recognized confectionery brands.
1911
Mars expands its confectionery business
[6]Mars corporate history and company overviewmars.com
The Mars family business developed the confectionery operations that later produced several of the company's best-known chocolate brands.
1891
Wrigley is established
[10]Wrigley is establishedwrigley.com
William Wrigley Jr. established the business that became associated with Juicy Fruit and other major chewing-gum brands.

Products and positioning

A global, mass-market confectionery portfolio spanning chocolate, sugar candy, chewing gum and mints, supported by high brand awareness, broad retail distribution and strong impulse and seasonal presence. A global, mass-market confectionery portfolio built around iconic brands, broad distribution, impulse occasions, cultural relevance, and product innovation, spanning chocolate, sugar candy, chewing gum and mints, supported by high brand awareness and strong impulse and seasonal presence.

Chocolate bar · 1930
SNICKERS
A globally distributed chocolate bar combining nougat, caramel, peanuts, and milk chocolate. It is marketed around hunger, satisfaction, and restoring one's usual personality, with substantial local variation in formats and flavors. Snickers is a chocolate-coated bar built around nougat, caramel and peanuts. It is positioned as a substantial, filling-style impulse product and is sold in single bars, multipacks, sharing formats and seasonal variants across many markets. A globally distributed chocolate bar combining nougat, caramel, peanuts, and milk chocolate, launched in 1930. It is marketed around hunger, satisfaction, and restoring one's usual personality, with substantial local variation in formats and flavors, sold in single bars, multipacks, sharing formats and seasonal variants across many markets.
Chocolate confectionery · 1941
M&M'S
Colorful candy-coated chocolate pieces sold in multiple varieties, sizes, seasonal editions, and regional formats. The brand is also a major entertainment and character-marketing platform for Mars Wrigley. Chocolate pieces covered in a colored sugar shell, M&M's are sold in multiple varieties, sizes and seasonal formats. The brand is recognized for its distinctive characters, color-based merchandising and large-scale advertising. Portfolio variations include milk chocolate, peanut, crispy and other market-specific or limited products. Colorful candy-coated chocolate pieces launched in 1941, sold in multiple varieties, sizes, seasonal editions, and regional formats. The brand is recognized for its distinctive characters, color-based merchandising, and large-scale advertising, and is also a major entertainment and character-marketing platform for Mars Wrigley. Portfolio variations include milk chocolate, peanut, crispy and other market-specific or limited products.
Chocolate biscuit bar · 1967
TWIX
A chocolate-coated biscuit and caramel bar sold internationally in single, multipack, sharing, and limited-edition formats. Twix combines a biscuit center with caramel and a chocolate coating. The brand is commonly sold as twin bars and in multipacks, with marketing built around the contrast between its two bars and its layered texture. A chocolate-coated biscuit and caramel bar launched in 1967, sold internationally in single, multipack, sharing, and limited-edition formats. The brand is commonly sold as twin bars, with marketing built around the contrast between its two bars and its layered texture.
Chewing gum
EXTRA and ORBIT
Major gum brands in the Mars Wrigley portfolio, positioned around flavor, freshness, confidence, and everyday oral-care or social occasions. Availability and brand roles differ by market. Major gum brands in the Mars Wrigley portfolio, positioned around flavor, freshness, confidence, and everyday oral-care or social occasions. Extra is a sugar-free chewing-gum brand launched in 1984 with a broad range of mint and fruit flavors, sold primarily in stick, pellet and multipack formats and positioned around long-lasting flavor and everyday breath freshness. Orbit is a sugar-free gum brand launched in 1944, marketed around clean, fresh taste and convenient everyday use, distributed in pellet and multipack formats. Availability and brand roles differ by market.
Fruity confectionery
SKITTLES and STARBURST
Fruit-flavored confectionery brands sold in chewy and candy-coated formats, with strong emphasis on color, flavor variety, sharing, and playful brand expression. Skittles are fruit-flavored, sugar-coated candies launched in 1974, marketed through bright colors, flavor variety and playful advertising, including standard, sour and other format variants. Starburst is a chewy fruit-flavored candy launched in 1960, sold as individually wrapped pieces, multipacks and sharing bags, with original, sour, tropical and other flavor groupings depending on the market.
Sugar confectionery · 1974
Skittles
Skittles are fruit-flavored, sugar-coated candies marketed through bright colors, flavor variety and playful advertising. The brand includes standard, sour and other format variants, with availability and recipes differing by market.
Chewy fruit confectionery · 1960
Starburst
Starburst is a chewy fruit-flavored candy sold as individually wrapped pieces, multipacks and sharing bags. Its portfolio has included original, sour, tropical and other flavor groupings, depending on the market.
Chewing gum · 1984
Extra
Extra is a sugar-free chewing-gum brand with a broad range of mint and fruit flavors. It is sold primarily in stick, pellet and multipack formats and is positioned around long-lasting flavor and everyday breath freshness.
Chewing gum · 1944
Orbit
Orbit is a sugar-free gum brand marketed around clean, fresh taste and convenient everyday use. It is distributed in pellet and multipack formats, with product names, flavors and formulations varying across regions.
Mints · 1780
Altoids
Altoids is a strong-flavored mint brand known for its distinctive metal tins, launched in 1780. The range includes peppermint, cinnamon and other varieties, and its packaging has become an important part of the product's identity.
Hard candy and mints · 1912
Life Savers
Life Savers are ring-shaped candies launched in 1912, offered in hard-candy and chewy formats. The portfolio includes fruit and mint varieties and is sold in rolls, bags and other pack formats.

Controversies

2023
M&M's character advertising controversy
The redesign and revised personalities of M&M's animated characters became the subject of intense political and media criticism in the United States. Mars Wrigley paused the campaign and shifted to a Maya Rudolph-led advertisement. The controversy was a marketing dispute and did not change Mars Wrigley's ownership or operating status.
Source
2021
Mars Wrigley recalled M&M’s Crispy products
Mars Wrigley recalled several batch codes of M&M’s Crispy products after a supplier-produced ingredient was found to contain a genetically modified organism that was not authorized for the ingredient under UK law.
Source
2021
Mars Wrigley files lawsuits over alleged cannabis-product trademark infringement
Mars Wrigley filed lawsuits in the United States and Canada alleging that sellers of cannabis products used its candy brands and trademarks without authorization. The suits seek injunctions, and one seeks $2 million for each counterfeit trademark tied to the California case.
Source

2024Chew Good
Global · Asia-Pacific
A refreshed platform for Mars Wrigley's gum and mint brands used deliberately quirky creative, television, digital, out-of-home, social, streaming audio, and augmented-reality executions. The platform was planned for rollout across more than 70 markets.
Outcome. The platform was planned for rollout across more than 70 markets.
Source
2024TikTok Shop 11.11 Paskong Panalo
Philippines
Mars Wrigley combined bundled assortments, gifts with purchase, creator content, search and shop-tab investment, affiliate activity, and extended livestreaming to support digital commerce. The brand was reported among the top five Food and Beverage sellers during the event.
Outcome. The brand was reported among the top five Food and Beverage sellers during the event.
Source
2024For You Who Did That Thing You Did
Australia
A MARS Bar campaign on Amazon Australia used generative AI and Amazon ecosystem data to recognize everyday consumer achievements and provide selected shoppers with a product in a subsequent delivery. Mars Wrigley credited the campaign with improving sales, awareness, and relevance across digital and offline activity.
Outcome. Mars Wrigley credited the campaign with improving sales, awareness, and relevance across digital and offline activity.
Source
2023Mars Reuses Fan-Favorite Ads
United States · United Kingdom · Mexico
Mars reused recognizable advertising assets for M&M'S, TWIX, SNICKERS, BOUNTY, and Ben's Original to connect climate messaging with a lighter advertising footprint. The work ran across social video and selected out-of-home placements as part of Mars's climate-action communications.
Outcome. The work ran across social video and selected out-of-home placements as part of Mars's climate-action communications.
Source
2023M&M's Super Bowl campaign with Maya Rudolph
United States
Following the pause of the spokescandies campaign, Mars used Maya Rudolph in a high-profile M&M's advertising campaign associated with the Super Bowl period. The campaign served as a temporary alternative to the character-led platform while the brand reassessed its advertising approach.
Outcome. The campaign served as a temporary alternative to the character-led platform while the brand reassessed its advertising approach.
Source
2022M&M's new character campaign
United States
Mars Wrigley introduced redesigned M&M's characters and a revised brand voice intended to make the characters more contemporary and inclusive. The campaign received substantial media and political criticism, leading Mars to pause the character-focused advertising in early 2023.
Outcome. The campaign received substantial media and political criticism, leading Mars to pause the character-focused advertising in early 2023.
Source
2018Goodnessknows real-time social campaign
United States
Mars Wrigley used social-listening technology to identify health-oriented Twitter conversations and serve relevant ads and coupons for Goodnessknows snack bars. Reported campaign measures included a 147% engagement rate, an 18% click-through rate, and thousands of replies to promotional offers.
Outcome. Reported campaign measures included a 147% engagement rate, an 18% click-through rate, and thousands of replies to promotional offers.
Source
2010You're Not You When You're Hungry
Global
SNICKERS's hunger-based platform depicts people behaving unlike themselves until they eat the product. It became a long-running international advertising framework with locally adapted executions and one of the portfolio's most recognizable global advertising platforms.
Outcome. The campaign became one of the portfolio's most recognizable global advertising platforms.
Source

Brand decisions

2023
Pause of M&M's character campaignOther
Background
A redesign of the M&M's characters generated sustained public and political criticism.
Action taken
Mars paused the character-focused advertising and announced a campaign featuring Maya Rudolph.
Aftermath
The incident became a prominent example of reputational risk in consumer-brand marketing, while the M&M's product portfolio continued operating.
Source
2016
Create Mars Wrigley ConfectioneryStrategy
Background
Mars wanted to manage chocolate, gum, mints, and fruity confectionery as one global category. Mars had owned both its longstanding chocolate and sugar-confectionery operations and Wrigley's gum and mint business.
Action taken
Mars bought out Berkshire Hathaway's minority interest in Wrigley and announced the combination of its Chocolate and Wrigley segments. Mars combined the businesses into a single confectionery division.
Aftermath
The combined organization was headquartered in Chicago and led initially by Martin Radvan. The combined division managed a wider portfolio across chocolate, sugar confectionery, gum and mints while retaining separate consumer-facing brands.
Source
2008
Acquire Wm. Wrigley Jr. CompanyM&A
Background
Mars sought to expand beyond chocolate and strengthen its global position in chewing gum and mints.
Action taken
Mars partnered with Berkshire Hathaway in an approximately $23 billion acquisition of Wrigley.
Aftermath
Wrigley's gum and mint portfolio became part of Mars's broader confectionery operations.
Acquisition value. $23 billion (2008)
Source
2008
Acquisition of WrigleyM&A
Background
Mars sought to expand its position in global confectionery beyond chocolate and sugar candy.
Action taken
Mars completed the acquisition of Wrigley, adding chewing gum and mint brands to its portfolio.
Aftermath
The acquisition created a broader confectionery platform that was subsequently organized under Mars Wrigley Confectionery.
Source

Recent events

2025
Mars Wrigley used generative AI in an Amazon Australia campaign[4]Mars Wrigley's AI-driven Amazon Ads Australia campaignadnews.com.au
Campaign · Product launch
The company reported using Amazon's generative-AI capabilities and first-party ecosystem data to personalize a MARS Bar promotion around consumers' everyday achievements. The activity was part of a full-funnel campaign and was reported as producing gains across digital and offline measures.
2025
Mars Wrigley expanded TikTok Shop activity in the Philippines[16]TikTok Shop 11.11 Paskong Panalobusiness.inquirer.net
Campaign · Pricing
Coverage described creator partnerships, livestreaming, bundles, search investment, and promotional mechanics used during the 2024 11.11 Paskong Panalo event, where Mars Wrigley ranked among the leading Food and Beverage brands on the platform.
2024
Mars Wrigley refreshed its gum and mint brands through the Chew Good platform[3]Mars Wrigley refreshes gum brands with Chew Good platformcampaignasia.com
Campaign · Product generation
A multi-market brand refresh for Extra and related gum and mint brands used television, digital, out-of-home, social, streaming audio, and augmented-reality content to make the portfolio more distinctive to younger audiences.
2023
Mars Wrigley returned M&M'S to the Super Bowl[19]Mars Wrigley returned M&M'S to the Super Bowlfoodnavigator-usa.com
Campaign · Product launch
M&M'S appeared in a commissioned Super Bowl LVII advertisement as part of a wider Mars portfolio presence around the event.
2022
M&M's changes its character designs and introduces a new brand voice[8]M&M's character informationmms.com
Campaign · Other
Mars Wrigley updated the visual designs and public personalities of the M&M's characters as part of a broader effort to make the brand more inclusive and contemporary.
2016
Mars combined its chocolate and Wrigley operations[1]Mars, Incorporated to Combine Chocolate and Wrigley Segmentsmars.com
M&A · Leadership change
Mars announced the creation of Mars Wrigley by combining its Chocolate and Wrigley segments after obtaining full control of Wrigley.
2016
Mars combines its chocolate and Wrigley businesses into Mars Wrigley Confectionery[12]Mars Wrigley Confectionery is createdmars.com
M&A
Mars announced the creation of Mars Wrigley Confectionery, combining its chocolate and sugar-confectionery operations with the Wrigley business acquired in 2008.

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