Since 1973, Mars, Incorporated has been proud to be part of the Chattanooga, TN community. The plant, which is the sole maker of certain varieties of Mars' Life Savers and Altoids products sold globally, produces more than 35,000 metric tonnes of mints across the brands.  

"Fifty years of high-quality production is a special occasion for any plant and speaks to Mars' history of manufacturing products that offer consumers innovative treats for good value," said Erik Owino, senior vice president of supply chain, Mars Wrigley North America. "The Chattanooga plant has helped drive innovation efforts across Mars Wrigley and continues to serve as a devoted production facility for several of our high-quality, consumer-favorite products."

Mars completed factory investment upgrades of $4 million in the local Chattanooga community earlier this year in March. The updates position the Chattanooga plant to play a key role in Mars Wrigley's resilient gum and mints business. While gum and mints purchases were impacted during COVID, Mars remained focused on growth. The category as a whole has bounced back and in 2022, the gum and mints category experienced 13.8% growth, raising sales to $3.2 billion, with the category projected to hit $4.2 billion by 2026.

"Everything we do at the Mars Chattanooga site is about our people and our Associate well-being," said Jason Schierling, manager of the Chattanooga plant. "All the Associates at our Chattanooga factory truly embody what it means to work at Mars. They have not only made a tremendous impact on our business but have supported each other and the community. I am so proud of our people, this community, and Mars' positive impact on society here in Tennessee.

The Chattanooga plant, which provides more than 400 jobs in the Chattanooga area, has always worked to embody the Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom – over its last 50 years of operation. The Five Principles, which is the foundation of how Mars conducts its business, serve as a guide on which every associate can depend. They are at the heart of the success Mars has enjoyed over the decades and will continue to inspire the organization forward. 

With these principles as a guide, the plant has supported the Chattanooga community for half a century and participates in numerous local partnerships, including recent ones with the Chattanooga Food Bank, the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, and the Salvation Army, among others.

To learn more about Mars, visit Mars.com.