KUDOS® Granola Bars Shows the Love to Mothers; Declares August "Kudos to Mom" Month

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- To spotlight the unique, special ways every mom makes the world a better place for her family, Mars Chocolate North America announced today that August is "Kudos to Mom" month – a celebration of creative moms and families. Sponsored by KUDOS® Granola Bars, the 31-day initiative kicks off today with a nationwide forum for moms (and dads too!) to showcase their parenting flair and creativity, and be in the running for a fantastic $10,000 vacation.

Parents can visit www.KudosToMom.com to check the official contest rules and submit a 100-word description on how they kept their kids busy and active during the hot summer months. The grand prize winner receives $10,000 towards a dream vacation for their family, courtesy of KUDOS® Granola Bars.

"Moms make our lives better 365 days a year," said Craig Hall, vice president of substantial snacks, Mars Chocolate North America. "You can never celebrate moms enough for everything they do, and the KUDOS® Brand wants to make sure they are truly appreciated, not just by providing great tasting snacks for their families, but with our 'Kudos to Mom' contest to give mom a well-deserved vacation."

New KUDOS®

While many of today's moms and dads recall fond memories of KUDOS® from the '80s and '90s, the brand recently updated its product line to feature the exciting tastes of some of America's favorite chocolate brands – M&M'S® Brand Chocolate Candies, DOVE® Brand Chocolate and SNICKERS® Brand Peanuts.

KUDOS® Granola Bars combine the best of both worlds – delicious chocolate and the goodness of granola. Each KUDOS® bar also has 100 calories, is made with whole grains and provides an excellent source of calcium. They're a perfect portable treat for lunches, road trips and quick snacks.

For more info on KUDOS® Granola Bars, please visit our Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/Kudos) or website (www.KudosBar.com).

About Mars Chocolate North America:

Mars Chocolate North America is the North American chocolate operations of Mars, Incorporated.  In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company.  In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar.  In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of  building a business based on the philosophy of a "mutuality of benefits" for all stakeholders – this vision serves as the foundation of the Mars, Incorporated we are today.  Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion and six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience.  More than 65,000 Associates worldwide are putting our Mars Principles in action every day to make a difference for people and the planet through our performance.

Mars brands include: Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Petcare – PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, SHEBA®, CESAR® and ROYAL CANIN®; Wrigley – ORBIT®, EXTRA®, STARBURST®, DOUBLEMINT® and SKITTLES®; Food – UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience –SERAMIS®, CIRKU™ and COCOAVIA™.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

SOURCE Mars Chocolate North America