Mars USA
Please fill in the blank (This is a very important part of the interview – to know why you are interested):
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List 2-3 reasons why you are interested in Mars USA?
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List 2-3 reasons why you are interested in this position?
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Company Snapshot
Mars is responsible for many different chocolate brands including: M&Ms, Snickers, the Mars Bar, 3
Musketeers, Dove, Milky Way and Twix. In addition the company makes other sweets Skittles and
Starbursts and snack foods Combos, Kudos and Uncle Ben’s rice. Mars also makes pet food under the
Pedigree, Sheba and Whiskas brands. The company also makes drink vending and office beverage service
equipment.
The Mars Family owns the firm and keeps almost all of its information in house and secret.
In addition to the products listed above Mars makes many different ice creams in the same flavors as its
candy bars. In the past several years Mars has made strategic moves including selling its paymentprocessing subsidiary, MEI Conlux, for nearly $500 million in 2006. The company has also been rolling
out new products within its pet food segment accompanying its purchase of S&M NuTec for an
undisclosed amount. The company also recently acquired the Doane Pet Care Company, a leading
manufacturer of dry pet food. In 2006 Mars discontinued production of several brands and believes it will
save around $300 million from these cuts.
Mars has almost no debt and utilizes profits for international expansion.
Headquarters:
Employees:
2006 Sales:
2006 NI:
McLean, VA
42,000
$21 Billion
Not Available
Operating Segments
Beverages
 Flavia
Ice cream bars
 3 Musketeers
 DoveBars
 Milky Way
 Snickers
Main meals
 Dolmio
 Ebly
 Uncle Ben’s
Petcare
 Buckeye
 Catscan
 Cesar
 Doane
All information gathered from Hoovers and Mars USA website
 Frolic
 Pedigree
 Royal Canin
 Sheba
 Spillers
 Waltham
 Whiskas
 Winergy
Snackfoods
 3 Musketeers
 Bounty
 Celebrations
 CocoaVia
 Combos
 Dove
 Ethel-M
 Kudo
 M&M'S
 Marathon
 Milky Way
 Skittles
 Snickers
 Starburst
 Twix
Other products
 Flavia office beverage systems
 Klix beverage vending equipment
Current News:
Mars Europe pledges no advertising to children
The EU has asked for individual companies to help it by agreeing to limit advertising to children in an
effort to cut obesity. Mars has pledged to do so. This will limit the company’s advertising to healthful
products and remove any advertising from primary schools to help parents control their children’s dietary
intake.
"Pioneer Award" Recognizes Mars 30-Year Contribution to Research
Mars is the only company to ever receive the Pioneer Award from the International Association of HumanAnimal Interactions for its contributions to the field of Human-Animal Companion Bond. In the 1970s
Mars felt that this was an important field to research and as such funneled a large amount of money into the
area to develop research networks and independent thinking. This award is in recognition of this
commitment.
Facts and Financials:
Key People:
Chairman
John Franklyn Mars
Global President
Paul S. Michaels
VP
Jacqueline Badger Mars
VP and General Manager, My M&M's
Jim Cass
President, Mars North America
Bob Gamgort
All information gathered from Hoovers and Mars USA website
2006 Sales (mil.)
$21,000.0
1-Year Sales Growth
16.7%
2006 Employees
42,000
1-Year Employee Growth
(1.2%)
Employees At This Location
300
Largest Competitors:
Cadbury Schweppes
Hershey
Nestlé
(Annual Sales: $14.55 Billion)
(Annual Sales: $4.944 Billion)
(Annual Sales: $8.074 Billion)
All information gathered from Hoovers and Mars USA website