Slideshow: Mars showcases sweet innovation
KANSAS CITY — Mars, Inc. announced its Mars Wrigley is expanding its portfolio of sweet treats. In the year ahead, innovation priorities for Mars will include capitalizing on its frozen treat brands and focusing on sustainability initiatives.
“At Mars, we see an opportunity to grow our ice cream business not only in North America, but around the globe,” said Anton Vincent, president of Mars Wrigley North America and the head of Mars Ice Cream globally. “We’re innovating with a focus on product and purpose, and expanding our global manufacturing capabilities to ensure we can meet rapidly rising consumer demand.”
Brands like Twix, Milky Way and Dove all are launching new ice cream products in 2024. Mars also is focusing on sustainability initiatives in its brands. Dovebar is the first Mars ice cream product “to enter the sustainability space,” according to the company. The ice cream bars, which are available in dark chocolate and milk chocolate varieties, feature sustainably sourced vanilla from farmers who are participating in the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming, an effort to improve the lives of vanilla farmers in Madagascar.
Mars is continuing to expand its confectionery portfolio with limited-time offers (LTOs) for brands like M&M’s and Dove. Its portfolio also will expand in 2024 through new acquisitions. In November 2023, Hive Bidco, Inc., a subsidiary of Mars, agreed to acquire Hotel Chocolat Group PLC, a premium chocolate company in the United Kingdom with international expansion goals. According to Mars, it may support Hotel Chocolat’s next growth phase through its international footprint, global supply chain and commercial relationships, which has operated in the United Kingdom since 1932.