Mars Celebrates 50 Years of Making Iconic Brands SNICKERS®, STARBURST® and SKITTLES® in Waco, Texas

• The Mars Waco site, which has played a pivotal role in delivering iconic snacks across the country, commemorates five decades in Texas.
• Since 2024 alone, Mars has invested $165 million in the facility, with a focus on energy efficiency, operational excellence and community partnerships.

WACO, Texas, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars, Incorporated – a global leader and maker of beloved snacking, food and pet brands – is proud to celebrate 50 years of manufacturing and community partnership in Waco, Texas. Established in 1976 as the company's very first manufacturing facility in the Lone Star State, the Waco site has grown into a cornerstone of the Mars supply network, producing beloved treats including SNICKERS^®, SKITTLES^® and STARBURST^®.

Today, the Waco site is powered by nearly 900 dedicated Associates who uphold the company's long-standing commitment to quality, innovation and community stewardship.

"Reaching 50 years in Waco is an extraordinary milestone that speaks to the strength and dedication of our incredible Associates and the enduring partnership we share with the Central Texas community," said Erik Owino, Senior Vice President of Supply for Mars Snacking North America. "As we look to the next 50 years and beyond, our ongoing investments in this site reflect our commitment to building an agile, sustainable and modern supply chain."

Over the past five decades, Mars has steadily expanded and modernized the Waco site to meet growing consumer demand while advancing environmental sustainability. Since 2024 alone, Mars has invested $165 million in the facility, with recent capital projects heavily focused on enhancing energy efficiency and operational excellence.

"For 50 years, the Waco site has been a proud home for Mars Associates who bring passion, pride and craftsmanship to their work every day," said Gavin Kuber, Mars Waco Site Director. "We are deeply grateful to our Associates, their families and our local community partners who have supported us along the way. Of course, while we celebrate our rich heritage today, we are equally excited about the future."

The Mars presence in Waco extends well beyond its facility walls. As a long-time member of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and a sponsor of the Waco LEAD Scholarship Program, Mars actively invests in educational and workforce development opportunities across McLennan County.

"On behalf of the City of Waco, congratulations to Mars Waco on 50 years of success and service in our community. We are proud to recognize this milestone and appreciate your longstanding presence in Waco," said Jim Holmes, Mayor of the City of Waco. "Best wishes for continued success in the years ahead!"

To recognize this milestone, Rep. Pat Curry (District 56), Rep. Angelia Orr (District 13) and Senator-elect David L. Cook (District 22), all representing McLennan County, issued a celebratory resolution congratulating the Mars Waco facility on its 50th anniversary. Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, also recognized the site with a formal certificate, celebrating Mars Waco's anniversary and its commitment to quality, innovation and craftsmanship.

Across the state, Mars employs over 5,000 Associates. In addition to the Waco facility, Mars makes PEDIGREE^® brand pet food at a facility in Temple and operates over 180 VCA^®, BANFIELD^® and BluePearl™ Pet Hospitals.

If you're interested in working at Mars or Mars Waco, please visit https://careers.mars.com/us/en.

About Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN^®, PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, CESAR^®, M&M'S^®, SNICKERS^®, Pringles^®, Cheez-It^® and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH^® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our more than 170,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

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

CONTACT: Hannah Messinger  
hannah.messinger@effem.com  
(445) 444-6970

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated