John Franklin Mars (born October 15, 1935) is an American businessman, co-owner of the family corporation Mars Incorporated, and from 1999 to 2004 - chairman of the company's board.

Mr. Mars is the third generation heir to the family business. The company, founded by his grandfather Frank Mars in 1911, brings good dividends to his grandson in the 3rd millennium. In Forbes' ranking for the past year, The World's Billionaires-2017, John ranks 26th on the list ($27 billion), as does his sister Jacqueline ($27 billion). Previously, John Mars’ older brother Forrest Jr., who died in July 2016, also appeared in the ranking.

John Mars became the richest resident of Wyoming, his sister is the richest resident of Virginia (Forbes data for 2017).

In the Forbes ranking richest people In America’s “Rischest-400” in 2017, brother and sister are also on the same line, taking 16th place. According to updated Forbes data as of February 2018, John’s fortune has decreased slightly, but is also impressive – $23.6 billion.

The surname “Mars” is quite worthy of becoming a household name, like, for example, the surname Rockefeller. John Mars not only took over the management of his grandfather's company, but also made his own contribution to its development.

Now Mars Inc. – a global manufacturer of confectionery, pet products, and food products. The company ranks 6th on the list of America’s Largest Private Companies 2017, with sales volumes of $35 billion.

“Mars” is not going to stop there – judging by the logo that presents the corporation on Facebook and translates as “grow further.”

How did the heir to a family corporation manage to grow up hardworking, not spoiled and purposeful? The biography of John Mars will refute the idea that being born with a silver spoon in your mouth makes it easy to go through life.

John Mars's childhood and family

John Mars was born in the USA in Arlington, Virginia on October 15, 1935. To understand in which family little John’s character was formed, let’s look at his pedigree – it was to his relatives that the boy owed who he became.

To this day, the company remains a family-run, “Martian” business, with members of the Mars clan still at the helm.

Start of a family business: founding grandfather

The family business was founded by the grandfather of the hero of today’s article. Frank's parents - Franklin Mars is better known by this name - lived poorly. Not easy financial position The family was also complicated by Frank's illness - he was sick with polio.

Due to illness, he could not attend school like his peers. But it’s not for nothing that the proverb says: “every cloud has a silver lining.” Sitting not at a school desk, but at the kitchen table at home, young Frank, watching his mother, learned the basics of making sweets.

After 15 months of married life, John Mars' father, Forrest Mars Sr., is born.

In 1910, when the boy turned six, his parents divorced. Ethel and her son moved to another city. Frank Mars received custody and an obligation to pay $20 a month. Having started to think about his own business early, Frank did not immediately manage to become financially secure: he could not always pay even “twenty” for his son.

Franklin Mars marries for the second time. Due to the fact that both his wives had the same name - Ethel - sometimes different dates for the founding of the company are given. According to one version, Frank’s first marriage fell apart precisely because of his failed attempt to start a business and provide for his family; according to another, that Mars opened his own business after the divorce, together with his second wife. The official founding date given in Forbes is considered to be 1911, the location is Tacoma, Washington.

The newly minted Mars couple sets up a sweets shop in their newly acquired house and sells confectionery directly through the kitchen window. The business did not generate stable income; short moments of prosperity were followed by sharp failures. In 1920, the Marses moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, with only $400 in hand. To prepare the sweets that his wife sold, Frank woke up at 3 a.m. every morning. Soon he begins to experiment in the candy business, and one of the innovative innovations becomes fateful.

The beginning of the 20s becomes a turning point in the history of the family company.

Mars founded the Mar-o-Bar company, which began producing Mar-o-Bar candies in 1922, and Milky Way chocolate bars in 1923. And - lo and behold! – within a year, the company’s sales increase 10 times: from $72,800 to $792,900.

Key events in the history of companies are often shrouded in legend. Just as there are several versions of the appearance of the company name, Milka Way has its own story-legend about its origin. It says that the idea of ​​​​releasing Milky Way - a chocolate bar in a package - came to Frank while walking with his son. Having bought him chocolate by weight (and at that time sweets were sold without packaging and only by weight), Franklin, looking at the child’s hands stained with chocolate, thought something like: “Eureka! Why not sell chocolate in packaging, for example, a foil wrapper?”

In the opinion of the author of the article, the legend is subject to doubt. It is enough to compare the years of the initial release of Milky Way (1923) and the age of Frank’s son - Forrest Mars turned 19 years old at the time of the appearance of the candy bar. How many years ago was Frank walking with his son, and why did he wait so long for the implementation of the idea that came to him during the walk? An implausible, “sweet” story.

The selection of candidates when hiring Frank Mars' factory was tough, but he also paid above average. The boss did not tolerate misconduct and violations: once in the workshop Mars noticed an employee who picked up a fallen chocolate bar from the floor and intended to wrap it in packaging. Mars immediately jumped up to the worker, grabbed him and pushed him away from the workplace.

In 1928, after graduating from Yale University, Mars' son Forrest came to the factory. Although he did not hold an official position, the right of the son of the founder of the company allowed him to influence production processes. Frank Mars did not like this balance of power. A former assistant to Frank Mars recalls: “He was proud of his son, but he was not going to give him control.” It is no secret that the father-son relationship between the Mars was not simple; in fact, Forrest grew up without a father.

In 1932, Mars sends his son “to hell”: “This company is too small for both of us. Go to some other country and start your own business.” Frank “sweetened” the farewell a little: he gave his son $50 thousand and granted the right to release a “sweet hit” - Milky Way. Forrest leaves for the UK and opens a chocolate factory in the city of Slough (southeast England).

In 1930, mass production of the Snickers bar began. Mars, Inc. becomes one of the largest candy manufacturers in the country.

In 1930, sales amounted to $24.6 million, and almost $2.3 million.

During the years of the Great Depression (the global crisis of the 30s), sales of sweets fell by two-thirds, but Mars and his wife continued to live in grand style. The trappings of a wealthy life were there: the finest cars (a $20,000 Duesenberg and a 16-cylinder Cadillac), the Marlands mansion near a lake in Minocqua, Wisconsin, and a huge (about 1,000-hectare) farm in Tennessee called Milky Way Farms. Way Farms). Over a couple of years, Frank Mars spent about $2 million on real estate, where about 100 people constantly worked. And once he did not have enough money to pay his father’s alimony of 20 dollars...

Frank Mars died at the age of 50, leaving control of the business to his second wife. Mars's widow, while serving as president, was more interested in racing and breeding stallions at the Milky May farm. In fact, her half-brother, vice-president of the company William Kruppenbacher, took over the management of the company. In 1945, when Ethel Mars died, a serious struggle broke out for the right to manage the company.

The struggle for inheritance: the activities of Forrest Mars Sr.

Forrest, meanwhile, is setting up the production of Milka Way in Foggy Albion.

In addition to the production of the Mars TM, Forrest is launching a new sweet brand – M&M’s glazed chocolates. In 1941, their production began for the US Army. Advertising “melts in your mouth, not in your hands” appeared already then.

Sweet pills went only to the front, bypassing regular stores. The Mars company was not the only one that showed up during hostilities - stories and examples of this. M&M's became available in 1945 civilian population and came out in tin boxes.

Unlike his father, Forrest was not obsessed with sweets. It is expanding its product line and adding animal food to its range of brands. In 1939, KITEKAT cat food entered the UK market.

Later, the Pedigree (1957) and Whiskas (1958) brands appeared.

To launch another brand - Uncle Ben's rice - Forrest Mars takes out a government loan. The government decided to support the production of this parboiled rice, which was transported better and faster than regular rice. However, everything comes at a price. The American magazine Reader's Digest published a laudatory article about Uncle Ben's in 1944, and interested creditors requested a patent from Mars for the production of this rice. Without revealing their secrets, the Marses have since stayed away from the media and government loans.

Like his father, Forrest was obsessed with quality. Once in the store he came across poorly packaged candies. own production. Forrest rushed to the plant, gathered the top managers and began throwing these candies one after another directly into the glass wall of the boardroom (to the delight of the rest of the employees who were watching the performance).

In 1945, after the death of his stepmother, Forrest decided that there was a good chance to regain control of the family company. At that time, he was the holder of a third of the securities, his half-sister Patricia (Patty) owned another third of the shares, Kruppenbacher had one-sixth of the securities, the rest of the shares were distributed among old employees.

Forrest hoped to form an alliance with his sister: she had a large family, and, having inherited a large lifestyle from her parents, Patricia was only interested in the size of the dividends. Forrest outlined to her the prospects of great income if he led Mars. But Patty found her uncle's voice more convincing: Kruppenbacher insisted that loyalty to the uncle she had known all her life was more important than the money her stepbrother promised her.

With Patty's support, Kruppenbacher remains at the helm of Mars, Inc. His attempt to deny his opponent entry to the plant looked a little childish - having introduced a pass system at the enterprise, he did not issue a pass to Forrest Mars. However, already in 1947 a “truce” was concluded: Forrest Mars received 3 out of 9 seats on the Board of Directors. In late 1959, James R. Fleming, Patty's third husband, replaced Kruppenbacher as president. In 1962, Kruppenbacher sold his shares, and Forrest and Patty each had 41%. After 2 years Patty sold securities brother

And so, three decades later, Forrest Mars took back control of Mars. In 1964, he merged his own company with his father's.

At the time of the merger, the annual sales of Forrest's Food Manufacturers, Inc., including its subsidiaries, were many times greater than those of Mars. The combined corporation (about 80% owned by Forrest Mars and his family) was named Mars, Inc. and became one of the largest in the world.

Gathering the executives of his father's firm into a conference room, the new boss, 60-year-old Forrest Mars, said: “I'm a believer. I pray for Milky way, I pray for Snickers" (eng. “I pray for Milky Way. I pray for Snickers”).

So succinctly he outlined his management principle: all employees of the organization should be united by faith in the company’s leadership and the product being released.

One of Forrest's first decisions at his father's enterprise was to demolish the partitions - the walls in the office, in his opinion, interfered with communications between departments. The luxurious dining room for the “chosen few” was also dismantled, the interior of which was decorated with the family coats of arms of privileged employees. Treating subordinates fairly and equally was an integral part of Forrest Mars' management.

In 1966, Fortune estimated sales of Mars, Inc. amounted to more than $350 million, which significantly exceeded the same figure for the famous American candy company Hershey Chocolate Corp. ($226 million).

John Mars' childhood

Forrest Sr. kept a tight rein on his children; in childhood, they sometimes did not even get candy. This is life “in chocolate”. From a young age, John Mars had to learn the lessons of saving: his father did not allow him to squander his savings, investing all his funds in business. Absent fashion clothes, expensive cars - all that is called “signs of a luxurious life.” Young John has acquired the habit of working to get what he wants.

The father wanted to instill hard work in his children, to make them productive people, not pampered playboys. “Everything in life must be earned,” he believed. It is interesting that modern billionaires, for example, also adhere to a similar approach to raising children.

Education of John Mars

In 1953, John graduated from Hotchkiss School in Connecticut.

He then continued his education at Yale University, graduating in 1957. Subsequently, his children (as well as the children of his older brother) will receive diplomas from this prestigious university.

The Mars brothers, having left the walls of the university, did not forget about their “alma mother”. They provided financial assistance to their native university. In 1999, John and his brother supported the university's Ethics, Politics and Economics (EPE) program, contributing $2 million to its development.

Richard Levin, Yale's president since 1993, expressed his gratitude to Forrest and John Mars: "I am truly grateful for their thoughtful support of one of the University's most innovative and promising interdisciplinary programs."

After graduating from university, John Mars served in the US Army for two years.

John Mars's first independent steps in the family business

After military service, John Mars, with the consent of his father, joined the family business. But even here no one presented him with everything ready on a silver platter.

John Mars' first assignment is to launch animal feed in Australia. It was a task beyond the level of a novice businessman, but nevertheless, John accepted the challenge. Gradually, in the country of kangaroos, he learns all the basics of doing business. Overcoming obstacles, John grew into a successful businessman. He will become the real brain, the intellect of the company. And his brother, Forrest Jr., did not waste time - he managed to open chocolate factories in France and Holland.

Despite this, the father found something to “scold” his offspring for. Old-time workers said that Forrest Sr. He sometimes lectured his sons so loudly in the factory that the screams could be heard several floors away. In 1969, Forrest Mars retired and the baton of managing the family corporation was finally picked up by his adult sons. Forrest Sr. He set a condition for the children: not to sell the company while he was alive.

John Mars's contribution to the development of the company: a business shrouded in mystery

Mars Inc. is one of the most closed to prying eyes. The company's sparse press releases make it difficult to specify in detail the extent of John Mars' involvement in the management of the business. It is known that John was responsible for innovation and launching new products. The secrecy of the company and its successors from the media has become the talk of the town. This applies not only to the working life, but also to the personal life of Mars.

Here are a few facts that allow you to imagine the scale of the secrecy of Mars and Co.:

1 Mars Forrest Sr. gave only one interview - to the Candy Industry and Confectioners Journal. He admitted to reporters: “Money will come to you if you produce a really good product that people need.”

2 Mars Forrest Jr. also gave one interview to the Washington Post in 1992. The tape recording of his voice was destroyed according to the agreement.

3, the company did not provide reporters with information regarding Forrest Mars Sr.: it was not clear whether he was dead or working for the company.

4 Americans find it funny that the company's central office is located in the same place as one of the CIA headquarters - in the city of McLean, Virginia. Coincidence?

5 in the 1980s, when John Mars entered the list of people with the greatest personal wealth, Forbes was unable to get a photo of him. And in 2018, instead of his image, there is this:

Members of the Mars family can compete in their dislike for candid interviews and photo sessions with such people as the founder of Wildberries, and the richest lady in China.

The year of crisis was 1988, when the Hershey company, for the first time in the history of the industry, pushed Mars off the leadership pedestal. During this period, John Mars helped his brother Forrest Jr. regain the palm.

The brothers acquired Ethel M Chocolates (the company created by their father after leaving Mars), which expanded the company's activities and returned it to its leading position in 1991.

In 2008, Mars carried out big deal– merged business with chewing gum manufacturer Wrigley. Having invested $23 billion, the corporation became the main shareholder of Wrigley. , the founder of Berkshire Hathaway, partially financed the deal. The fact that both Mars and Wrigley have a common feature played a role in the purchase: they are family companies, like, for example, Inc., which is not easy in modern realities.

In January 2017, John Mars paid $7.7 billion to purchase VCA, Inc., a company specializing in pharmaceuticals for animals (pets).

Martian Chronicles: interesting facts about the MARS company

• the number of MARS Incorporated employees is about 100 thousand workers in more than 80 countries around the world
• In 2017, Mars took 4th place in the TOP of employers “Great Place to Work”. The international rating is valuable because the best employer is chosen directly by employees. Not a bad result for MARS, considering that in 2017, 10 million workers from 6,600 companies were surveyed

• At the headquarters of Mars Inc there is a sculpture of a scaffold with an ax, captioned: “The head of every employee lies on the scaffold of responsibility.”

Trademarks included in the corporation increase the capital of John Mars - the portfolio contains dozens famous brands. Here is just a small list of well-known brands: M&M's, Snickers, Dove, Orbit, Spearmint, Milky Way, Mars, Skittles, Twix.

The Orbit brand even ended up in a song by the group Splin - chewing gum was immortalized in the musical hit Orbit Without Sugar

Activities of Mars Inc. illustrates successful diversification (expansion of the line of goods produced). The Mars family has established a sustainable non-commodity business.

It is not at all correct to talk about the company only as a “confectionery empire”, because Mars operates in 5 global business segments:

2 pet products Petcare

3 food

4 Drinks

5 Symbioscience – division studying life science

The company has strong strategic marketing. For example, chocolate bars are produced under a certain target audience, a specific situation.

This allowed us to successfully enter the Russian market in 1991; in 2016, the company celebrated its 25th anniversary of activity in the Russian Federation.

Mars-ians (as the employees call themselves) “go among the people”: they hold meetings with students, telling them about the opportunities for professional development at Mars. Mars Days were held at Moscow State University, Moscow State Technical University named after. Bauman and Financial University.

In 2011, the company published its “Five Operating Principles.” Briefly enough, as for the charter of a global corporation. Often, celebrity advice and company strategies include a much larger number of points: remember “8 principles of leadership from” or “25 rules for success.”

The rules that all members of the Mars family have signed up to are as follows:

• responsibility
• efficiency
• quality
• mutual benefit
• Liberty

Principles are not an empty phrase. Let's take, for example, the 1st point “responsibility”.

With the advent of the 90s, the company set itself the goal of making its products more useful. An agreement was concluded with Procter & Gamble to purchase caprenin (a cocoa butter substitute). But when it turned out that caprenin increased cholesterol, Mars suspended the contract.

The company fights against childhood and adult obesity. In 2008, Mars began producing Generation Max, low-calorie sweets sold in vending machines.

In 2016, Mars announced that it was phasing out the use of dyes in its products. This decision is dictated by the company's concern for customer safety.

Responsible managers of Mars Inc. resolved the situation with accusations of violation labor legislation. Such accusations are often made large corporations, Nike has also been criticized for concluding contracts in countries with cheap labor. Mars was accused of using child labor. The crux of the problem was that the company was purchasing cocoa beans from Indonesian farmers who were exploiting child labour. The company launched a program aimed at improving the lives of women and children in Indonesia. Mars has officially stated that it partners with suppliers who adhere to labor standards.

If we take point 5 “freedom”, then the freedom of “Mars” lies in the non-publicity of the company: shareholders (since there are none) do not impose decisions on management.

Personal life of John Mars

At the age of 23, John Mars married Adrienne Bevis. The marriage took place in June 1958. The couple had three children - daughter Linda Anne Mars (born 05/23/1960), son Frank Edward Mars (03/13/1963) and Michael John Mars (11/22/1967).

Previously, the billionaire lived in his native Arlington, and currently he and his wife live in Jackson, Wyoming.

In March 2015, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the title of knight at Windsor Castle.

In 2018, the corporation's heir, Sir John Mars, will turn 83 years old. The big business tycoon is a participant in charitable initiatives.

Changing CEOs in the third millennium

In 2004 Mars - John and Forrest Jr. – officially handed over management responsibilities to Paul Michaels. Michaels has worked at Mars since 1988 and became the first CEO in the history of the company not from the Mars family. The media hoped that the new CEO would make Mars more open to the press, but their hopes were not realized.

Since 2016, Grant Reed, who previously worked at various directions brand.

The company is currently managed by the fourth generation of Mars. Victoria Mars, Forrest Jr.'s daughter, is now the company's president.

But no matter who is at the helm of the company, the strategy of the Mars family corporation for more than a hundred years has been described as follows: to qualitatively satisfy the needs of consumers, while being responsible for the result.

Mars is the story of the world's largest private company. The Mars company is one of the most mysterious in the American market. It is one of the few private companies in which key roles are held by family members.

Mars's revenues amount to billions of dollars, it owns more than 10 brands, and you can easily build a separate business around each of them.

Mars was and remains a private company from the start. Its owners never sought to create a buzz around their names, and did not express a desire to show off on the cover of Forbes. This, in turn, gave rise to many rumors about the company.

Some claim that the owner and director of the company, Forrest Mars, began every working day by touring the production and personally tasting samples of products, including animal food!

Let's lift the veil of mystery over this company a little and get to know its founders better.

The history of Mars goes back to the 19th century. The founder of the “chocolate empire,” Frank C. Mars (1883-1934), was born in 1883 into a poor family, and at the age of nineteen he began making money by selling sweets on the street. But by the age of 21, he was tired of working “for someone else’s uncle,” and he and his wife started their own business – a modest confectionery shop. The entire assortment offered to customers was the products of Mrs. Mars’ culinary creativity, and the window of their home kitchen served as a showcase and counter. However, the owner of the family business was already dreaming of more - he wanted to fill the whole of America with his confectionery products.

Frank Mars' dream came true in the 1920s. A beautiful legend (one of its interpretations) says that during one of his trips to the store with his son, the owner of a confectionery shop had the idea to make chocolate in a wrapper. Little Forrest Mars asked to buy him chocolate, and in those days it was sold by weight; after receiving the treat, he got all dirty. It was then that Frank Mars began to think that millions of parents would be more willing to buy chocolate for their children if these small chocolates were wrapped in foil. Thus began (according to legend) the Empire of Mars.

In Minneapolis, Mars registered the Milky Way trademark, and with it a new company, Mar-O-Bar, soon renamed Mars, Inc. The success of the chocolate bar, which was presented in 1923, was so deafening that a few years later the Milky Way bar had no equal in the confectionery market. Thanks to rapidly growing sales, the company increased its staff by an order of magnitude and opened its own factory in the suburbs of Chicago, where the whole family moved. It was there that new Mars hits were born - the Almond Bar chocolate bar, as well as three-in-one bars - Musketeers and the now world-famous Snickers.

In 1934, company founder Frank Mars, barely in his sixth decade, died of acute heart and kidney failure. By then his business had grown into large company with a turnover of about $30 million. The only thing that darkened the last days of Frank Mars was a disagreement with his son Forrest. He flatly refused to participate in the family business and, having moved to England, founded his own business there producing pet food. The now famous Whiskas and Pedigree were invented by him when he was working in England.

Towards the end of his life, the founding father of the Mars company, Frank Mars, in addition to his “chocolate business,” also became interested in breeding racehorses. Unfortunately, he did not live to see the day when his horses began winning prizes at the most prestigious races in America.

The business of Frank Mars was continued by his son, and today the company is already managed by his grandchildren - John and Forrest Jr., to whom Frank Mars, the son of Forrest, the founder of the Mars company, handed over the reins in 1995.

Forrest Mars was born in 1904 into the family of a Minnesota confectioner. Everyone in the confectioner’s family worked; the head of the family, Frank, himself made cheap candies at night, and his wife Ethel sold them from a tray the next day. Two types of sweets were even loved by local residents. One type of candy, “Creamy Victoria,” was made from cream and sugar, and another, “Mar-o-bar,” was made from caramel, nuts and chocolate.

When Forrest was six years old, Frank and Ethel divorced. And the mother took her son to her parents in northern Brattleford, a small mining town.

Forrest's childhood and youth were as they should be for a future American billionaire. After high school, he won a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley. In 1923, he even spent time in prison for covering all the streetlights and shop windows of Chicago with advertising brochures for these then little-known cigarettes. Upon his release, Forrest decided to transfer to Yale University, where he studied chemistry and economics, voraciously reading books about Du Pont and John Rockefeller. In 1928, he graduated from Yale University and returned to his father, who by this time had already founded his first company producing Mars bars.

His son began to work with him.

In 1947, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. documented his commitment to creating ‘mutuality of benefits’ for all stakeholders

It was during these years of working with his father that Forrest Mars, according to him, and not according to the legend written above, it was he, in his own words, who came up with the first iconic sweet, Milky Way. And the legend goes exactly like this: one day Forrest was drinking a chocolate cocktail with his father and advised him to enclose the contents of the cocktail in a chocolate bar. “He added a little caramel on top and chocolate around it,” Forrest recalled. — It was not very good chocolate, he always skimped on quality. But this candy was on sale. And without any advertising." Thus was born one of the iconic sweets of the 20th century, firmly associated among all sweet tooths with the Mars empire. In the first year of sales, Milky Way brought in $800 thousand in net income. But the relationship between father and son did not work out; after several years, the relationship became tense to such an extent that a break occurred.

Forrest Mars dreamed of world domination, while his father only dreamed of a comfortable old age. And the company moved to Chicago. Frank built himself a large mansion in Wisconsin and lived happily ever after. But then the idyll came to an end. Frank didn't want to strain himself, but Forrest dreamed of world domination. The relationship between father and son became increasingly strained, to say the least. “I told my dad that if he didn’t give me a third of the business, I would fuck off. Then he said, “Well, get lost,” Forrest said. Forrest went to England.

In 1932, Forrest settled in England, rented a tiny workshop and began doing his usual business - making candy. On the already proven base of Milky Way, calling it, however, for our own safety, Mars. However, the Mars chocolate bar from the very beginning was a product of a completely different quality, and Forrest understood this that the taste preferences of the British were different from the American ones. He used delicate milk chocolate and a sweet caramel filling. And to this day, the Mars chocolate bar, contrary to popular belief, is an English product, little known in the United States.

In promoting his chocolate bar, Forrest came up with a brilliant marketing move, freeing thrifty Englishmen from the unpleasant knowledge that buying sweets is spending money on pleasure, and therefore wasting it. "Mars,"

Mars asserted that this is not pleasure, but a charge of strength and energy. It's more than just a sweet - it's food. These are eggs, a lot of baked milk, butter - the best combination to relieve fatigue.” This is what was written on the packaging (this idea is still used in Mars commercials to this day: a bar with a thick layer of chocolate is equated almost to a medicine to calm the nerves and restore strength). "

Chocolate for food" sold out with a bang. And Forrest was right when he assumed that this candy would crush the US confectionery market.

Forrest's father came up with the idea for the Milky Way bar. Forrest would not be a true Mars if he had not come up with something of his own, no less grandiose. He succeeded to the fullest - M&M candies are the brainchild of Forrest Mars.

There is a legend about the creation of M&M`s. In 1937, during civil war in Spain, Forrest allegedly visited this country and there saw soldiers on vacation eating small chocolates covered with a sweet coating. The candies protected by the shell did not melt in the hands. Mars immediately realized: after all, this is much more important for children than for valiant warriors. And he immediately shook hands with Harrison, a manufacturer of coated candies. Like, I’ll help you get promoted in Europe, and I’ll take over the USA. Industrial historians consider this a fairy tale, but the fact remains: Harrison produced Smarties in Europe, and Mars in the United States successfully sold M&M's, which became “a real American sweet.”

Returning to their father, they merged their companies and then in the 60s the M&M Empire was finally formed. Having completed the empire, in 1995 Mars transferred the company to his sons John and Forrest Jr., but at the same time continued to participate in the affairs of the company, inventing and implementing new projects.

Their stunning success was explained very simply - they were covered with a special shell and did not melt in your hands. This feature formed the basis of the advertising slogan that we still hear today: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.”

The popularity of the candy was so great that Forrest decided to rename his company M&M Ltd. Unfortunately, Frank Mars could no longer share his triumph with his son - in 1934 he died of heart failure.

The most successful deal for M&M Ltd was the purchase of Uncle Ben’s. This company was a leader among instant rice producers. With such a powerful product range, Forrest increasingly looked towards the American market. In 1964, he merged his company with his father's company.

This is how the M&M/Mars giant was born. Interestingly, Forrest did not want to hear about going public, and insisted that the business should remain at the disposal of the family.

Forrest Mars died in 1999.

Of the current employees, few have personally worked with the company's founding father. But they still talk a lot about him.

Forrest Mars was America's most secretive billionaire. Stubbornly defending the right to privacy, both his own and that of his company, he prohibited the disclosure of the names of Mars Corporation employees.

Forrest Mars's pedantry and scrupulousness in everything related to product quality and the company's reputation are proverbial. The slightest deviation from the standards he personally set would result in the most severe reprimands of those responsible, and Forrest Mars made no exceptions for his own children.

There is evidence that Forrest Mars was a rude, harsh and direct person who suppressed his subordinates. He could yell at me and even throw me down the stairs. There are still legends about his volcanic temperament and uncontrollable outbursts of anger, when it was not limited to dismissal, but also abuse and beatings. He did not value individuality or initiative in employees, and most of all, in his own words, he hated originality, which he always considered the sworn enemy of success. At the same time, he was pathologically withdrawn. Public life hated it. Didn't give an interview. He forbade taking photographs of himself. I considered presentations a waste of time. When the famous journalist Joel Glenn Brenner, who wrote the book “Emperors of Chocolate,” called the company’s office to find out the name of the head of Mars, the secretary replied that this information was classified and hung up.

They say that during daily rounds of production workshops, the company president personally tasted all the products, including animal feed! Pedigree's "dog biscuits", according to the boss, should also appeal to pet owners - only in this case the dogs would appreciate the owner's care for themselves.

Another episode was documented and became known to the press. One day, Forrest Mars bought a bag of M&M candies at a convenience store and was horrified to discover that the two capital letters M were printed not in the center of the round logo, as required, but slightly offset. The boss's anger was so strong that he roused the company's management in the middle of the night and ordered the entire defective batch to be urgently withdrawn from sale.

And at one of the meetings with the management of the corporation, Forrest Mars publicly stated that, being a religious person, he should pray... for Milky Way and Snickers!

At Mars, the common phrase “there are no irreplaceable employees” was considered simply indecent. Forrest Mars liked to repeat: “I can be replaced - just think, the president of the company! But finding a replacement for a talented employee is not so easy.” The head of the company spared no effort and money in searching for talents that could serve the benefit of the company. For those who were able to be lured away from competitors, he created exceptional working conditions.

Mars Chocolate North America associates celebrated with government officials, company executives and project partners to unveil the renovated, cutting-edge Mars Chocolate North America headquarters. The state-of-the-art Hackettstown site, which encompasses offices and a manufacturing plant, now represents the company’s iconic brands in a way that is “magical, collaborative and sustainable.” Mars Chocolate North America’s headquarters is where more than 1,200 associates work and M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies are manufactured in Hackettstown, New Jersey.

The structure of the company at that time was very similar to modern Apple. It was almost impossible to get any information about her. But some of the methods that Mars used against its employees are still known.

First of all, this is strict control over product quality. For employees, Forrest tried to create the most Better conditions work, because he understood perfectly well that the success of the company depended on them. This, however, did not stop him from subjecting guilty workers to the harshest criticism, sometimes getting personal.

Another important point is that Mars has abandoned offices and any partitions separating workers from each other. This was done so that all employees could feel like one team.

Mars,Incorporated is the largest American investor in the Moscow region
In the Moscow region, one of the largest foreign investors is the Mars company, which has invested more than $400 million in the construction of its enterprises. Thus, in the Stupinsky district of the Moscow region there is a Mars confectionery factory and a national office (near the Sitenka station), as well as a factory for the production of animal feed (near the village of Luzhniki). In Russia, the company operates through its subsidiary Mars LLC.

Today, such organization of workplaces is also quite popular in some companies. It is also necessary to note the fact that the company was one of the first to acquire its own personnel training center.

Forrest Mars was creatively and philanthropically involved. He introduced into practice the sponsorship of those projects and events, the main participants of which were, and to this day remain, the company’s regular and most loyal clients – children. For example, in the city where Mars headquarters is located, the Chocolate Festival and other charity events are held annually, adored by local children. This is how the company forms next generations of potential buyers.

Forrest Mars actually retired in 1995, giving the reins to his children. But he retained control of the corporation until his death in 1999.

Another small detail in the image of Forrest Mars. Forrest Mars ate daily great amount chocolate. But, despite this, he rarely used the services of a dentist, claiming that “it’s our competitors’ chocolate that spoils their teeth, and Mars products leave dentists out of work.”

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Mars Company today

The Mars giant remained a private company, perhaps the largest in the world. It is now managed by Frank's grandchildren - Jacqueline, Forrest Jr. and John. The company makes great efforts to ensure that its products meet modern requirements.

Thus, Mars has abandoned the use of many potentially harmful additives and has significantly changed the composition of almost all of its products. For example, the bar of the same name lost artificial flavors and became much less caloric. The company constantly holds promotions to promote a healthy lifestyle, in particular in England.

IN Lately The issue of resource extraction on the Red Planet is becoming more and more urgent; interest is shown, first of all, by representatives of organizations that have found financial support in Silicon Valley.

Experts believe that a lot of work is required to determine the rights to resources taken from celestial bodies, otherwise conflicts between firms and countries will inevitably flare up. Barry Kellman, a law professor who studies space governance, says there is a serious debate about companies traveling into space and extracting useful resources from there.

Selling water from asteroids

A US company called Planetary Resources aims to extract water from asteroids within the next 10-15 years. The first robotic test mission as part of the asteroid exploration mission will begin in 2020.

The CEO of this company, Chris Levitsky, made a statement that everything mined in space and brought to Earth is the property of the person who carried it out, in accordance with space laws of the United States and Luxembourg. Moreover, such resources, like any other property, can be sold, stored or donated, and much more.

The company has plans to extract oxygen and hydrogen - the main components of water - from asteroids, and then sell the water for sale. At the same time, Levitsky is going to sell water not on Earth, but in outer space, which is expected to be in demand during various missions. Other spacecraft will be able to use the hydrogen and oxygen available on the ISS. Moving these fuels from our planet to space requires a lot of financial resources, so it is necessary to organize available energy to facilitate the journey of ships. For example, to carry out one launch, it is enough to obtain oxygen and hydrogen from one relatively small asteroid the size of a football field.

Mars Association

However, not all experts are confident in the legality of collecting space water.

Currently, there is a treaty in force from 1967 regulating basic space standards, according to which space is the property of all mankind. States cannot appropriate any celestial bodies to themselves.

If American corporation SpaceX will claim profits from the use of asteroids; can this be considered a national treasure?

However, individual countries are beginning to adopt their own laws giving the right to exercise property rights on a global scale. The American space agency takes a neutral position on this issue.

From the seas to space

Lawyers believe that when resolving space issues, one can be guided not only by national laws and the 1967 treaty, but also by other earthly rules. The Convention on the Law of the Sea provides for the exclusive right of countries to use natural resources located within an area of ​​up to 200 miles from the coastline, and the movement of ships and aircraft of other countries can be carried out through these waters. A similar rule can be applied in outer space: companies can have exclusive economic rights at their landing site, but will not be able to use the entire astronomical object, for example, Mars.

Professor Kellman believes that even if a universal regime of property rights in outer space is adopted, this will not save us from conflicts between countries and companies.

The large private company Mars is a peculiar phenomenon of the American market. All key positions in the company's administration belong to members of one family, which is particularly mysterious. Mars owners earn billions without any fuss.

Mars is the story of the world's largest private company. The Mars company is one of the most mysterious in the American market. It is one of the few private companies in which key roles are held by family members.

Mars's revenues amount to billions of dollars, it owns more than 10 brands, and you can easily build a separate business around each of them. Mars was and remains a private company from the start. Its owners never sought to create a buzz around their names, and did not express a desire to show off on the cover of Forbes. This, in turn, gave rise to many rumors about the company.

Some claim that the owner and director of the company, Forrest Mars, began every working day by touring the production and personally tasting samples of products, including animal food! Let's lift the veil of mystery over this company a little and get to know its founders better.

How it all began

The history of Mars goes back to the 19th century. The future founder of the “sweet giant,” Franklin (Frank) Clarence Mars, was born in 1883. The family in which Frank grew up was not wealthy, and he had to start working at a fairly early age. At the age of 19, he quickly sold sweets. This was Frank’s “start” in the confectionery industry. Little by little, Mars climbed the career ladder and began to earn quite good money.

It was difficult to call him rich, but Frank had his own house, stable income, and by age 28 he had married his girlfriend, Ethel. By the way, Franklin Mars’s wife became his first business partner. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. When Mars turned 28, he decides to quit work, and... Together with his wife, he starts selling sweets. The Marses' first "store" was located right in their house, and trade took place through the kitchen window. Things got going, sales were constantly growing, and the couple decided to start their own company.

They called it Mar-o-Bar in 1911. This is how Frank’s dream of owning his own business began to come true. The product range then consisted mainly of sweets with different fillings. Nothing original. The idea that radically changed Frank's life and gave his business a significant boost came to him by accident. At that time, chocolate was sold exclusively by weight. Naturally, it quickly melted in their hands, people got dirty, it was inconvenient and unpleasant. Frank thought - what if we sold pieces of chocolate wrapped in foil?

This is how the “Milky Way” bar was born. In just a few days it became something of a hit among sweets. By the beginning of 1925, the Milky Way bar broke all sales records in this market segment. 20s. Mars opens its factory near Chicago. The company's staff is constantly growing. New products appear. Among them is the world-famous Snickers bar.

At this time, Frank's son, Forrest, graduates from Yale University. Having received his diploma, he has firm intentions of entering the world of business. Forrest goes to the UK, where he opens his own business. According to one version, the reason for his departure from the States was a disagreement with his father. One thing is certain - Forrest “started” in business with his father’s money. In addition, his company received the right to produce and distribute Milky Way chocolate. So, even if you believe the version of the quarrel between Frank and Forrest, they still maintained certain relationships.

In 1932, in the city of Slow, Forrest bought a small premises for production. By the way, it was at this factory that another equally famous product of the company would subsequently appear – the Mars bar.

Having acquired a modest staff, Forrest began to work. It should be noted that Mars Jr. did not concentrate exclusively on confectionery products, like his father. It was at his instigation that the company’s assortment was replenished with animal food – Whiskas and Pedigree. Forrest's father came up with the idea for the Milky Way bar. Forrest would not be a true Mars if he had not come up with something of his own, no less grandiose. He succeeded to the fullest - M&M candies are the brainchild of Forrest Mars.

Their stunning success was explained very simply - they were covered with a special shell and did not melt in your hands. This feature formed the basis of the advertising slogan that we still hear today: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.” The popularity of the candy was so great that Forrest decided to rename his company M&M Ltd. Unfortunately, Frank Mars could no longer share his triumph with his son - in 1934 he died of heart failure.

The most successful deal for M&M Ltd was the purchase of Uncle Ben’s. This company was a leader among instant rice producers. With such a powerful product range, Forrest increasingly looked towards the American market. In 1964, he merged his company with his father's company. This is how the M&M/Mars giant was born. Interestingly, Forrest did not want to hear about going public, and insisted that the business should remain at the disposal of the family.

Features in company management

Forrest Mars did not like to advertise himself or his income. He was not attracted by the covers of popular business magazines. All the time Forrest worked, rolled up his sleeves, and nothing else interested him. The structure of the company at that time was very similar to the modern one. It was almost impossible to get any information about her. But some of the methods that Mars used against its employees are still known.

First of all, this is strict control over product quality. Forrest tried to create the best working conditions for employees, as he perfectly understood that the success of the company depended on them. This, however, did not stop him from subjecting guilty workers to the harshest criticism, sometimes getting personal. Another important point is that Mars has abandoned offices and any partitions separating workers from each other. This was done so that all employees could feel like one team.

Today, such organization of workplaces is also quite popular in some companies. It is also necessary to note the fact that the company was one of the first to acquire its own personnel training center.

Mars Company today

The Mars giant remained a private company, perhaps the largest in the world. It is now managed by Frank's grandchildren - Jacqueline, Forrest Jr. and John. The company makes great efforts to ensure that its products meet modern requirements.

Thus, Mars has abandoned the use of many potentially harmful additives and has significantly changed the composition of almost all of its products. For example, the bar of the same name lost artificial flavors and became much less caloric. The company constantly holds promotions to promote a healthy lifestyle, in particular in England. Mars continues to develop; the company is doing well, despite the crisis. And, apparently, we will never witness the company going public.

Mars Company (Mars) is one of the most mysterious companies on the American market. It still remains private, despite a list of world-famous brands that bring it billions of dollars. Today, the owners of the Mars company are the grandchildren of its founder.

Closed company

The status of a private company, or perhaps its location next to the headquarters of the CIA, led to the fact that Mars has always been a closed company. Its founders never aspired to fame and glory, which did not prevent them from entering 100 richest people in America.

The company's secrecy has given rise to many rumors surrounding it and its owners. There is an opinion that the current manager, Forrest Mars, personally makes a round of the production every day and takes a sample from finished products. We are talking not only about sweets, but also about animal feed.

Let's take a look behind the veil of secrecy together and learn the history of Mars in more detail.

Foundation of the company

The history of Mars dates back to the 19th century. In 1883, the future founder of the chocolate giant was born Franklin Clarence (Frank) Mars.

Frank Mars' family did not live well, so he grew up early and began to work. At the age of 19, he was already selling sweets with all his might. It was at this moment that he chose the industry that determined his entire future life.

Success in his career helped Frank start earning enough. He was not rich, but he was able to afford to buy a house and married a girl named Ethel. She subsequently became his business partner.

Own business

At the age of 28, Frank Mars left his hired job and started his own business. He and his wife sell sweets in a store located right in their house.

All trade was conducted through the window of the Mars family kitchen

Their small business began to grow, and in 1911 the couple founded the companyMar-O-Bar. Frank's dream is to leave his hired job forever and become an owner own business has become a reality.

First serious successes

At that time, the main assortment of the Mars confectionery family were candies with a wide variety of fillings. The idea that changed Frank's whole life came to him completely by accident.

Birth of Milky Way

One day he and his son Forrest went to the store. The son asked his father to buy chocolate. In those days, chocolate could only be bought by weight, which was not very convenient. Customers were constantly getting dirty.

It was at that moment that Frank thought, why not start selling small pieces of chocolate wrapped in foil?

The idea seemed promising to Frank, and after consulting with his wife, they decided to try it. The result of this test was the birth of the now world-famous candy bar MilkyWay. By 1925, Milky Way would be a recognized market leader.

Company growth

In the 20s, Mars will have its own factory in the suburbs of Chicago. The company's staff will begin to grow. All this will result in the emergence of new products, among which will be the legendary Snickers chocolate bar, which is still one of the flagships of the Mars product line.

Forrest Mars

Having received an excellent education at Yale University, Forrest Mars prepare to become an entrepreneur. There are some gaps and differences of opinion among historians in this part of the history of the Mars family.

It is known that after university, Forrest went to England, where he went into business unrelated to his family’s business. One of the versions claims that he did this on the instructions of his father in order to try to organize his own business on his own.

According to another version– the reason for such actions was a conflict with his father and a break in their relationship. But what is certain is that new business Forrest started with Frank's money.

Mars chocolate bar

In 1932, Forrest Mars purchased a manufacturing facility in the town of SLO. It is this factory that will become the parent of another brand - chocolate barMars, which is in no way inferior in popularity to its brother, Snickers.

However, the first success was not easy for Forrest. At first he didn’t even produce his own chocolate, but bought it from Cadbury.

New sphere - new brands

Forrest Mars, unlike his father, had a more global mindset. He was a proponent of the idea of ​​differentiation. That is why the company introduced such products as pet food – Whiskas and Pedigree.

“Melts in your mouth, not in your hands”

If the founder Mars is responsible for the birth of the Milky Way brand, then his son can be credited with an equally famous product - candiesM&M's.

The idea of ​​​​creating these sweets came to Mars Jr. when he was in Spain. The problem with chocolates was that they melted in your hands. Especially on hot days.

Mars solved this problem by covering the candies with a special coating. And overnight, M&M's gained widespread consumer acceptance. The success was so great that Forrest decides to rename the company M&M Ltd..

Expansion and merger

The next step towards success for the Mars company was the purchase Uncle Ben's– one of the leaders in the instant rice market. Forrest began to come to the USA more often, and in 1964 his company and his father’s brainchild merged - a giant was born M&M/Mars.

However, there was no talk of entering the stock exchange. Forrest believed that the company should remain a family asset. At least until his death, it was pointless to talk about selling any part of the company.

Management at Mars

It is known about some innovations that Forrest Mars used in his company:

1. Very strict control over product quality. Of course, it was not yet Japanese quality, but the level of control was high.
2. The leader was not afraid of open criticism of his subordinates. Forrest always got personal when problems arose. That doesn't mean he didn't value his employees. He understood perfectly well that the fate of his company depended on them, and tried to organize the best conditions for them.
3. INMars abandoned personal accounts and partitions. This contributed to improving the team spirit in the company's staff.
4. Mars now has its own employee training center. For the mid-20th century, this was a revolutionary innovation!

Mars today

Today, Mars is owned by the third generation of the family - Jacqueline, Forrest Jr. and John. They are not involved in direct management. This function is performed by a hired person - CEO Mars company, Paul Michaels.

Mars owns world-renowned brands in three industries: confectionery, pet food, and rice.

Surely you know brands such as Milky Way, M&M’s, Twix, Skittles, Snickers, Whiskas, Chappy, Pedigree, Uncle Ben’s, Dove Chocolate, Bounty, Royal Canin and many others.

Fourth direction

Finally, Mars was the first to introduce beverage dispensers that were capable of accepting paper money. This is another area of ​​the company’s activities that few people know about.