Mars announced an investment of more than $70 million in its Hackettstown, N.J., site to continue its legacy of best-in-class innovation and manufacturing. Mars is a leader in confectionery, snacking, food, and pet care products and services and the maker of some of the world's most-loved brands, including M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, and BEN’S ORIGINAL™. The latest major economic development from Mars supports a Research and Development (R&D) Innovation Studio—including a new test kitchen and packaging lab—along with manufacturing efficiencies and advancements in food safety at the Hackettstown manufacturing factory.

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The R&D Innovation Studio at the Mars Hackettstown location will include a new prototyping kitchen, packaging lab, and collaboration space with the intent of increasing the speed of innovation and development to meet evolving consumer preferences. The capabilities in the Innovation Studio will support iconic Mars Wrigley products produced in the US including M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, SKITTLES®, STARBURST®, EXTRA®, and ALTOIDS® as well as new product innovations. The updated packaging studio will allow for development and testing of sustainable packaging materials to support Mars’ contribution to a circular economy where packaging material never becomes waste, but is recycled, reused, or composted.

The multi-year investment in the Hackettstown manufacturing factory began in 2023 and supports Mars’ continued commitment to quality and food safety with the addition of a new, state-of-the-art chocolate production facility.

Longtime Mars veteran to lead growing health & wellness division

Additionally, the company appointed Blas Maquivar as global president, health & wellness, Mars Snacking. With a tenure at Mars spanning nearly 14 years, Maquivar will oversee the company’s expanding health & wellness portfolio including brands Nature’s Bakery, Trü Frü and KIND, the latter of which has expanded to 30 global markets outside of the US and Canada since Mars took full ownership in 2020. 

Maquivar joined Mars in 2010 as general manager, Mars Chocolate Mexico. He then served in several senior leadership roles across the Snacking business, most recently as president, global emerging markets (GEM), where he led over 140 fast-growing markets including Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Central America. During his tenure, GEM experienced double-digit growth of 11 percent year-over-year. 

As part of its vision to transform the snacking category and embrace shifting consumer needs and preferences, Mars has expanded the foothold of its health & wellness division within the permissible snacking category in the last several years. Under Maquivar’s leadership, the health & wellness division will continue to nurture and globally scale its existing brands while remaining an attractive destination for founder-led brands. This all comes in service of the company’s greater ambition to double its snacking business and grow revenue to $36 billion within the next decade. 

Gabriel Fernandez, general manager of Mars Wrigley Mexico, will succeed Maquivar. Fernandez has been with Mars since 2005 and has held regional and corporate leadership roles in Latin America, Europe and North America.

www.mars.com