Mars Wrigley breaks ground on recently approved expansion

Mars Wrigley has broken ground on a new, best-in-class, global research and development hub adjacent to the company's existing Global Innovation Center on Goose Island. Leaders from Mars as well as key Chicago stakeholders, including Michael Fassnacht, CEO, World Business Chicago, and Alderman Walter Burnett Jr., gathered together to commemorate the milestone for the company.

This multimillion-dollar investment will make Chicago home to the company's largest innovation hub in the world, creating a best-in-class workplace that will position Mars Wrigley to drive category-leading innovations for the company's iconic global snacks and treats brands such as M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, and more. The new facility will incorporate a test kitchen for developing new products, state-of-the-art pilot lines, and an area for breakthrough technology development.

At the event, Chris Rowe, Global Vice President of Research and Development, Mars Wrigley, spoke to a crowd of more than 100 attendees about how the new hub reinforces Mars' continued commitment to Chicago. "Mars has a long history here in Chicago, and we're proud to continue our legacy of innovation in the Chicagoland area by breaking ground on our best-in-class global research and development hub for Mars Wrigley," Rowe said. "As a leader in snacking and treating, we look forward to Chicago being the center of exciting, consumer-driven innovations that span the globe."

"On behalf of Mayor Lightfoot and Chicago's business community, we congratulate Mars on today's groundbreaking of its innovation center," said Michael Fassnacht, President and CEO of World Business Chicago, and Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago. "Chicago's food innovation ecosystem is one of the fastest growing in the U.S. with record investments and innovation. We are grateful to Mars for its longstanding commitment to the Chicago community, and excited to see Mars help drive Chicago's resonance for food innovation throughout the world."

"Mars has been a respected part of the Goose Island community for the past 17 years," said Chicago Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. "I am thrilled to see Mars deepen its commitment to Goose Island with the groundbreaking of this new facility."

The investment will bring about thirty (30) additional jobs to the Mars Wrigley Global Innovation Center, with jobs on the Mars Goose Island campus nearing 1,000. The project is slated to be complete by summer 2023.