The Mars Family Business.
Mars Incorporated is one of the most prominent producers of brands in the world. This family-owned company generates more than 30 billion dollars in sales every year. The foundation of their success is not money, but rather the company's constant creativity and sharp instinct for trends that have continually brought Mars forward, step-by-step, after almost a century of business.
The story begins in 1911 in Tacoma, a harbor in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Frank C. Mars had 400 dollars in his pocket and definitely knew how to make chocolate candies. He founded a "Candy Factory“, where his own kitchen began producing a modest income. That was not enough for this young candy maker. He wanted to make something different, something completely new - a chocolate that would make people stand in line. In 1923 – the family was now back home in Minnesota – Frank had his idea. Together with his son, Forrest, he combined three treats popular at that time: chocolate candy, chocolate bars and malted milk, a new drink back then, but with a taste of caramel. Their creation was longer and thicker than any piece of candy or chocolate bar at that time. The added taste of caramel was stronger than in a malted milk. Here was a thick, creamy, chewy, filled chocolate bar that sold more than in their wildest dreams. This was the first stone in the foundation leading to a global company: Mars Incorporated.
Delicacies for Pets
After Mars had become a household name in the USA, the company decided to make the big leap across the Atlantic to Europe. Back to the roots so to speak as the Mars ancestors originally came from Holland. Forrest Mars went to England in 1932 and founded "Mars Confectionery“ in Slough. After only three years he realized that like his father, he also had a nose for emerging trends. With capital from the chocolate business he purchased a small company named Chappel Brothers that was producing food for dogs. Most people at that time thought it very strange indeed to be feeding a pet anything other than table scraps. However, dog owners were soon won over by Mars and their brand Chappie. Mars soon began producing petfood on a large scale from their own recipes based on scientific nutritional standards.
Civilian Use of Military Ideas
Forrest Mars met some soldiers during the Spanish Civil War who had covered their chocolate with a hard, sugary shell to keep it from melting. Once back home, Mars began research on developing chocolate candy covered with a colored sugar coating. They would "melt in your mouth, not in your hand": M&M's. The first customers were soldiers in the US Army. Forrest Mars continued his search for future trends, this time in 1941 together with Gordon Harwell, owner of a company named Converted Rice. Harwell was producing rice where the grains remained loose during cooking while still retaining all its vitamins. The good contact Forrest Mars had with the army resulted in some thankful customers: American soldiers fighting in WWII. Why wouldn't this high quality rice also be appreciated in civilian kitchens? During a business lunch, Harwell and Mars were talking about "Uncle Ben's“, a brand Harwell had begun using in the 1930s. Forrest Mars realized that Uncle Ben needed a face. The photograph, still seen on today's packs, was the needed breakthrough. In 1952, only six years after launching Uncle Ben's Converted Rice, the brand became market leader in the USA.
Mars in Poland
Sochaczew. Almost all history of Mars Polska is inextricably related to this town, distanced only 55 km from Warsaw.
Our history dates back to the early 1990's. - On June 6th, 1992, the company was registered under its former name of Master Foods Poland. The same year, our first factory is created. In Kozuszki Parcel, we open the Dry Petfood Factory, around which one of the largest production and office complexes throughout the group will be built in the next few years.. In 1994, from our initiative, Poland celebrates for the first time the World Animal Day. Although at that time we produce in Poland only dry petfood, and other products such as sweets or main meal products are imported from factories located in neighboring countries, we keep continuing the extension of our production and office complex. 1995 is a specially important year - we open the Chocolate Factory in Janaszówek and Wet Petfood Factory in Kozuszki Parcel. Less than a year later, we start the production of chocolate bars and in 1997, to met the huge demand on the Polish market, we double the space of the Dry Petfood Factory. Late 1990’s is especially dynamic period in development of our company - we not only launch new product lines in our factories (in 1999 we launch the production of M&M’S®), but we attach more and more importance to our Associates, who receive access to the Sports Center. Also the fight for the greatest talents starts - we launch numerous initiatives addressed to potential Associates of the company, for instance the Summer Internship Programme organized each year since 1997. In 2000, we are the official sponsor of the Poland's largest European Pedigree Dog Exhibition in Poznan. We also get actively involved in a dialogue with the local community, from which many of our Associates come, and we support many initiatives and support people in need, for which we are awarded several times with the honorary title of the "Benefactor of the Year". In 2004, an exceptional event takes place - our fourth Mars factory in Poland opens - the Milk Drinks Factory. This is the only factory producing special milk for cats in the company. In the following years, we improve the production - we obtain the ISO 140001 certificate for all the factories and the office, while our Petfood Factories obtain the prestigious internal award for the best factories throughout the company. In total, we invested in Poland over PLN 775 million. The production is however not the only area where we want to distinguish ourselves - we undertake a series of actions and initiatives addressed at the local communities. In 2006, we build a modern playground for children and youth in Sochaczew, and a year later, our initiative brings to life one of the best skateparks in Poland, the construction of which is sponsored by Snickers. In 2007, we change the name to Mars Polska, which we use until today. In October 2008, we open the second office in the very center of Warsaw - in the Lumen building in the famous Zlote Tarasy.
Today, Mars Polska is not only two offices, a production and office complex, over a billion zlotys of revenues each year, global brands and products everybody love, but most of all a tuned team of almost 1400 Associates, who care each day for the development and growth of the company.
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