Mars Announces Winners of its Tenth Annual Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant at Heritage Chocolate Society Gala

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars is pleased to announce that the Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant is being awarded to six institutions in the United States and Canada in the areas of research and chocolate programming. Winners were announced at a gala hosted at the Heritage Chocolate Society on the evening of February 23rd at Colonial Williamsburg. The Heritage Chocolate Society seeks to further the study of chocolate's diverse history and its impact on past and present culture in the Americas. Since its inception in 2013, there has been over $400,000 in grant funds awarded.

"Mars is proud to have awarded grant funds to over 46 cultural and educational institutions over the past 10 years. This has resulted in continued chocolate history research, discovery and development of educational programs that have impacted thousands of people across North America, bringing better moments to people through the rich history of chocolate," said Gail Broadright, Sr. Director Digital Sales, Marketing and User Experience, Mars Wrigley. "This year's grant winners will continue to contribute to the evolving global story of chocolate in people's lives."

"We are thrilled to be hosting the Heritage Chocolate Society again this year," stated Clifford B. Fleet III, President and CEO, Colonial Williamsburg. "The first meeting was held at Colonial Williamsburg in 2003 and seeing the impact of the grant on chocolate research and discovery during this time has been truly inspiring. We extend our congratulations to all the grant winners."

Mars Wrigley and AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate awarded grants to the following institutions:

• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth: www.umassd.edu.
• New York Historical Society: https://www.nyhistory.org.
• Henderson State University: https://www.hsu.edu.
• Fortress Louisbourg Association: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg.
• We Make History: https://wemakehistory.com.

Mars plans to continue to award grants on an annual basis and the submission period for the 2023 awards begins on August 30, 2022 at https://www.americanheritagechocolate.com/grants/.  AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate is a line of artisanal chocolate products developed from ingredient lists from the 1750s. Developed by Mars Wrigley, AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate shines a light on the stories of both tragedy and triumph throughout our collective history - from chocolate's Mesoamerican roots, dating back over 3500 years, to its place in the lives of European and Colonial American families, to its role in popular culture today. While chocolate's rich history provides context for its global journey through time, it is chocolate's future, and its stories of connection, that brings people together. The late Forrest E. Mars, Jr's passion to push the boundaries of discovery is what inspired the formation of the Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Research Grant. 

About AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate:
The AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate brand was developed in 2006 by Mars Wrigley to help educate consumers about the history of our multicultural nation through the engaging story of one of our most beloved foods…chocolate!  With a flavor profile drawn directly from the archives of chocolate's historic past, AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate provides an artisanal, versatile way to eat, bake or drink a sweet taste of history. Rainforest Alliance Certified™ and made with no preservatives, AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate currently comes in four formats: Tasting Squares, Tablet Bars, Grated Chocolate for baking/drinking and Gourmet Hot Cocoa. AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate is sold in over 50 fine gift shops at historic sites, museums and historic inns across the USA and Canada. The brand can also be found on Amazon.com, at M&M's World in New York City and Las Vegas, and at the Ethel M chocolate store in Henderson, Nevada.

Learn more about AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate at www.Facebook.com/AmericanHeritageChocolate, on Instagram at @AmericanHeritageChocolate, Twitter @Choc_history, Tumblr @americanheritagechocolate.tumblr.com, and on Pinterest @Chochistory.

About Mars, Incorporated
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us.

Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and Petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M's®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, BEN'S ORIGINAL™, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world's pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses, including AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, and VCA™.

We know we can only be truly successful if our suppliers  and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

SOURCE Mars Wrigley