Damon Mcknight
Mars bars are manufactured in Australia by Masterfoods Corporation, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc. The company has a major production plant in Ballarat, Victoria, and has seen an 18% increase in sales of its chocolate bars in the Australian market since 2020. The Mars bar was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1932 and has since become a popular confectionery product worldwide, with variations in size and ingredients in different markets.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Major production plant in Australia | Ballarat, Victoria |
| Mars bar wrapper | Paper-based |
| Mars bar size in Australia and New Zealand (2022) | 47 g |
| Mars Wrigley Australia CFO | Duncan Webster |
| Mars bar sales increase in Australia since 2020 | 18% |
| Mars Australia's iconic products | M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, ORBIT®, EXTRA®, Skittles®, KIND®, AIRWAVES®, Eclipse®, MALTESERS® |
| Mars Australia's sites for pet food manufacture | Wodonga, Victoria; Bathurst, New South Wales; Brisbane, Queensland |
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What You'll Learn
- Mars bars are manufactured in Australia by Masterfoods Corporation
- Mars bar size in Australia reduced from 60g to 47g between 2009 and 2022
- Mars Wrigley Australia CFO expects new paper-based wrapper to add sales momentum
- Mars Pods, a wafer-based variant, were launched in Australia in 2008
- Mars bars were recalled in Australia in 2005 after an extortion attempt
Mars bars are manufactured in Australia by Masterfoods Corporation
Mars, Incorporated, which operates globally, has more than 34,000 associates working to improve the way they source, make, and market their products. The company has made and sold chocolate bars, chewing gum, and pet food and care products for more than five generations. Mars confectionery products are manufactured in Australia by Mars, Incorporated, but other products are manufactured by The Wrigley Company.
Mars Wrigley Australia has committed to investing $1 billion to build a new cocoa supply chain model centered on smallholder farmers. The company has also committed to creating more sustainable and resilient mint through plant science and investing in communities. Additionally, they are working to reduce their carbon footprint by using enough renewable energy to create all M&M's sold.
Mars, Incorporated has 22 manufacturing facilities in the United States, two in Canada, and one in the United Kingdom. In Australia, the company operates three sites that manufacture pet food and birdcare products in addition to their confectionery products.
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Mars bar size in Australia reduced from 60g to 47g between 2009 and 2022
Mars bars are made and sold in several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The Mars bar is a candy bar with nougat and toasted almonds coated with milk chocolate. In May 2009, the size of the Mars bar in Australia was reduced from 60 grams to 53 grams, with the company citing portion sizes and the obesity debate as the main reasons for the change. This reduction in size was not an isolated incident, as ninety other chocolate products of Mars Australia also reduced their sizes. The company also stated that the new, smaller bars would have clearer nutritional labelling and would remove artificial colours and flavours.
The downsizing of the Mars bar in Australia continued, and by 2022, the size had been reduced further to 47 grams. This reduction in size was notable as it brought the weight of the bar below the 50-gram mark, which may have been a psychological threshold for consumers. The decrease in size from 60 grams to 47 grams between 2009 and 2022 represents a significant reduction of 13 grams or 21.6% of the original weight.
It is worth noting that the size reduction of the Mars bar in Australia was not the only change the product underwent over the years. In July 2005, Mars bars in Australia were recalled due to an anonymous extortion attempt, claiming that several bars had been poisoned. Additionally, in May 2007, Mars UK announced that Mars bars and other products would no longer be suitable for vegetarians due to the introduction of rennet, a chemical sourced from calves' stomachs. However, they later abandoned these plans due to public backlash.
Despite the reductions in size, the Mars bar remained a popular product in Australia, with the Australian business of the global Mars conglomerate increasing sales of its chocolate bars by about 18 percent since 2020. The company also introduced a new paper-based wrapper for the Mars bar, which was rolled out in supermarkets and convenience stores, with Australia leading the way for similar moves in other markets.
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Mars Wrigley Australia CFO expects new paper-based wrapper to add sales momentum
Mars Wrigley Australia has announced a shift from plastic to paper-based packaging for its Mars, Snickers, and Milky Way chocolate bars. The new packaging will be made from sustainably sourced FSC-certified paper and will be available in supermarkets and convenience stores across Australia. The move is part of the company's commitment to its $1 billion Sustainable in a Generation Plan, which aims to create a circular economy and reduce its environmental footprint.
The Australian business of the global Mars conglomerate has increased sales of its chocolate bars by about 18% since 2020, and Mars Wrigley Australia CFO Duncan Webster expects the new paper-based wrapper to further add to this sales momentum. Webster acknowledged that it is too early to determine whether inflation has peaked, but he believes that consumers will continue to spend on chocolate bars as they are an affordable 'treat'.
The decision to transition to paper-based packaging was influenced by a Mars bar wrapper that washed up on a beach in the UK in 2019. The wrapper, made in 1986, was almost intact, highlighting the durability and environmental persistence of plastic packaging. Mars Wrigley's new paper-based packaging will be recyclable through curbside recycling programs, addressing the issue of plastic waste.
The packaging was developed and trialed at Mars Wrigley's manufacturing site in Ballarat, Australia, with the Ballarat-based R&D team leading the project. The technology, learnings, and insights gained from this local initiative will be shared and implemented in other Mars Wrigley markets across the globe. The company is committed to positively impacting the planet and the population, and this transition is a significant milestone in its sustainability journey.
Mars Wrigley Australia's move to paper-based wrappers is a world-first for the company and aligns with the growing global trend for brands to adopt fiber-based packaging materials that are more sustainable and recyclable. The new packaging will be rolled out through supermarkets led by Woolworths and Coles, as well as petrol and convenience store outlets, with Australia pioneering this change ahead of similar moves in the rest of the Mars empire.
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Mars Pods, a wafer-based variant, were launched in Australia in 2008
Mars Bars, the chocolate bars produced by Mars Inc, were first manufactured in 1932 in Slough, England. The company has since expanded its product portfolio and global reach, with its iconic products enjoyed in over 180 countries. In 2008, Mars Inc introduced an innovative new product to the Australian market: Mars Pods.
Mars Pods, a wafer-based variant of the classic Mars Bar, were launched in Australia in 2008. They were designed to be a bite-sized, pop-able snack with a unique and intriguing structure. Each pod featured a crunchy baked wafer ingeniously shaped like a small shell, filled with the signature Mars chocolate and chewy filling, and topped with delicious milk chocolate. This combination of textures and flavours offered a fresh take on the traditional Mars Bar experience.
The launch of Mars Pods in Australia was a strategic move by Mars Inc to cater to the local market's preferences and tastes. The company recognised the popularity of chocolate-covered wafers in Australia and decided to merge this concept with their iconic Mars Bar. By introducing a wafer-based variant, Mars Inc provided Australian consumers with a novel and exciting way to enjoy their favourite chocolate brand.
The year 2008 marked a significant period for Mars Inc in Australia, as it was also the time when the company secured a major sponsorship deal with the Tasmanian government. This deal, worth $4 million over three years, involved temporarily changing the name of the top-selling chocolate bar in Australia to "Believe" to promote the state's bid to enter the Australian Football League. The sponsorship agreement further solidified Mars Inc.'s commitment to the Australian market and demonstrated its understanding of local passions and interests.
While the classic Mars Bar has undergone size reductions in Australia due to concerns about portion sizes and obesity, the introduction of Mars Pods offered consumers a different format that emphasised portion control. The pods' small, bite-sized structure naturally limited the amount consumed in one sitting, addressing health concerns while still delivering the indulgent experience that Mars chocolate is known for.
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Mars bars were recalled in Australia in 2005 after an extortion attempt
Mars bars are made and sold in Australia. In July 2005, Mars bars, along with Snickers bars, were recalled due to an anonymous extortion attempt against Star City Casino in Sydney. The extortionist claimed to have poisoned seven Mars and Snickers bars at random stores in New South Wales. This led to Masterfoods Corporation, the company that manufactures Mars bars in Australia, recalling all Mars and Snickers products from store shelves in New South Wales.
The threat was taken seriously, and Food Standards Australia New Zealand oversaw the recall, notifying all NSW retailers and suppliers by phone, fax, and email. Large supermarkets were able to remove the products from their shelves within hours, but it took longer to reach smaller stores and vending machines. Around 5500 retailers in NSW stocked the bars, and the recall aimed to minimise the risk to the public. MasterFoods also began destroying 3 million chocolate bars to protect the community from potential contamination.
The letters received by MasterFoods were described as "rambling," and the exact intent was unclear. However, the threat to poison a member of the public was taken seriously, and the police investigated the extortion attempt. In the later half of August 2005, the threat was deemed negligible, and the chocolate bars were returned to the shelves.
After the recall, MasterFoods Australia New Zealand gave away free chocolate bars in Sydney to recover from the negative impact of the recall. This incident highlights the importance of food safety and the swift actions taken by companies and authorities to protect the public. It also demonstrates the potential consequences of extortion attempts on food manufacturers and retailers, affecting their sales and reputation.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Mars bars are made in Australia. The major production plant for Mars confectionery products in Australia is in Ballarat, Victoria.
In Australia, the weight of a Mars bar was reduced from 60 g to 53 g in 2009. By 2022, the weight was further reduced to 47 g.
Other Mars products made in Australia include Mars Pods, which were launched in 2008, and Mars Protein, which is a 50 g bar with less sugar and more protein.
