On the heels of announcing one of its biggest innovation years yet, Mars is delivering snacks and treats with exciting textures, new takes on classic favorites and twists on flavors. These innovations fuel the category and drive manufacturing growth in the communities where Mars operates.

Gavin Kueber, site director for the Mars factory in Yorkville, Il. sat down to share insights from the manufacturing floor on how consumer trends are driving innovation and what shoppers ultimately see on store shelves.  

Mars has continued to invest in U.S. manufacturing, including your Yorkville site. Can you share Yorkville’s role within Mars and its broader strategy and how these investments fit into the company’s ambitions?

The Yorkville site is an integral part of the Mars manufacturing community in the U.S. We’ve been in the community since 1994 and with more than 450 Associates, we proudly make many of our gum and mint brands like HUBBA BUBBA®, ECLIPSE®, JUICY FRUIT®, LIFE SAVERS® and ALTOIDS® mints, along with SKITTLES® and SKITTLES® Littles. It’s been an exceptionally exciting year with the launch of SKITTLES® POP’d – we make those SKITTLES right here in Yorkville.

With the resurgence of gum since the pandemic, we’ve expanded our capabilities this year with new production lines for EXTRA® Spearmint and EXTRA® Mega Packs. We also began producing RESPAWN Mints at our site this year. All of this taps into growing trends and demand in the gum and mints space.

These investments at Yorkville are part of a broader manufacturing growth plan from Mars, aimed at expanding capacity, improving supply chain resilience and accelerating new product launches. The upgrades we’ve made at our site strengthen the ability for Mars to respond quickly to shifting consumer trends while driving operational excellence.

Speaking of gum and mints, those categories have seen notable growth and innovation recently. What trends are you seeing and how is Yorkville helping Mars stay ahead?

According to a new report from the National Confectioners Association, total gum and mint sales are projected to reach $6.7 billion by 2030, an increase of nearly $1 billion. Gum and mints continue to be an everyday essential for consumers and we’re seeing convenience, value and functional benefits all driving demand. For instance, EXTRA Mega Packs offer the boosted value of 35-sticks in portable packaging. Mars has been optimizing its mix of pack sizes and flavors, so there’s something for every chewing occasion and shopper preference. With Mega Packs, shoppers don’t have to stress about running out of gum when they need it.

RESPAWN, the first gum and mints brand from Mars designed specifically for gamers in partnership with Razer™, features bold flavors like Blackberry Vanilla and Mango Habanero. The mints we make here at Yorkville integrate functional ingredients like L-Theanine and B Vitamins.

Yorkville also plays a key role in confectionery innovation. We’re incredibly proud to produce the SKITTLES used for SKITTLES POP’d – a freeze-dried spin on the iconic candy with a unique, crispy texture. We’ve seen a lot of love for these new treats, especially with Gen-Z audiences. It’s a new platform for us that we’re excited to experiment with - M&M’S® just announced its getting in on the freeze-dried fun with the launch of M&M’S POP’d Caramel, a first for the brand.

Mars has been widely recognized for its great workplace culture. How does that spirit come to life at Yorkville?

At Mars, we have the Five Principles, which is the foundation for our company culture. I’ve been at Mars for 15 years and it’s truly something special. We strive to create an environment where our Associates feel valued and supported through career development programs and a culture that encourages innovation and growth.

We’re proud to be in Yorkville and it’s important for us to foster strong community ties, from supporting the United Way to the Yorkville Senior Center. Just this past month we donated turkeys to Kendall County Food Pantry for their annual Thanksgiving food drive – we also give turkeys to each of our Associates at Yorkville.

With the new year ahead, we look forward to strengthening our role in the community and as always, delivering the iconic brands our fans love.