Mars Chocolate North America Over Halfway Towards 100% Sustainable Peanuts in M&M’s® Peanut Chocolate Candies & SNICKERS®

Mount Olive, NJ, April 21, 2015 /3BL Media/ – Mars Chocolate is more than halfway on its journey to ensure that 100% of its peanut products contain a more sustainable peanut. In 2014, 51 percent of the peanuts used for the company’s U.S. products were high-oleic acid peanuts (HOAPs), helping the company keep pace with increasing product demand.

Mars Chocolate has committed to using 100 percent HOAPs in its products by 2017, working with peanut farmers, shellers and the industry as a whole to support the production of a sustainable supply of quality HOAPs by investing in science, creating more advanced breeding approaches, mitigating disease and encouraging greater agricultural efficiencies. In addition, the company has invested more than $1.4 million to support the efforts of the International Peanut Genome Initiative, a group of crop geneticists that includes representatives from Mars, to map the peanut genome.

“The industry recognizes a need to work with farmers to grow peanut varieties that will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the crop by keeping peanuts competitive, free of disease, and satisfying to consumers,” said Anne-Marie DeLorenzo, Strategic Sourcing Manager of Peanuts for Mars Chocolate North America. “Consumers know that peanuts have many healthy components. HOAPs take this a step further by further boosting the natural healthfulness of the crop.”

Edible peanuts are one of Mars Chocolate’s foundational ingredients and are a critical component to two of the company’s most popular products worldwide - M&M’S® Peanut Chocolate Candies and SNICKERS®. As a result of the growing global demand for these billion dollar brands, Mars – one of the top global buyers of high quality edible peanuts - projects that its need for high quality whole peanuts will triple by 2025.

About Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned business with more than a century of history and some of the best-loved brands in the world including M&M’S®, PEDIGREE®, DOUBLEMINT® and UNCLE BEN’S®. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars has more than $33 billion in sales from six diverse business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience. More than 75,000 Associates across 73 countries are united by the company’s Five Principles: Quality, Efficiency, Responsibility, Mutuality and Freedom and strive every day to create relationships with stakeholders that deliver growth we are proud of as a company.

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