Mars, Inc
Abstract
Mars Inc. is one of the worlds’ leading snack food companies, but people are becoming more aware of the health risks associated with eating a steady supply of candy. Recommendations to add alternatives in products, and researching ways to make existing products more health minded would be essential to appeasing the consumers, and in guarantee that profits will not suffer. The Problem Mars Inc. is one of the largest confectionary businesses in the world. Products of Mars Inc. products include Starburst, Snickers, Skittles, and M&M’s among many, many others. However, in today’s health awareness people are becoming less and less inclined to indulge themselves in foods high in sugar, fat, and calories. Mars is now faced with the problem of keeping their profits up, while changing to the market to accommodate the tastes of the consumers.
Recommendations
I believe that it would be prudent of Mars to introduce a product that offers more protein, and less calories, similar to a “health” bar. With Snickers slogan as “Hungry? Grab a Snickers” it would seem that Mars is taking into consideration that it is producing more than just a candy bar. In fact, Mars has started producing CocoaVia, a chocolate bar that has higher elements of Flavanols, which the FDA has confirmed reduces cholesterol. (Barrionnuevo, 2005) I also recommend that Mars starts researching ways to lower calorie count, sugar, and fat in their already existing product line. Most people are wary of trying something new when it comes to healthy alternatives in their food. Mars has already marketed these products for more than 75 years, and the population has already gotten to know these products. If Mars could manage to reduce the calories, fat, and sugar and still maintain the same taste then they wouldn’t have to worry about profits falling.
Balance between commitments to Shareholders and Community Mars is already doing a good job of balancing their responsibility to both
Mars Inc. is one of the worlds’ leading snack food companies, but people are becoming more aware of the health risks associated with eating a steady supply of candy. Recommendations to add alternatives in products, and researching ways to make existing products more health minded would be essential to appeasing the consumers, and in guarantee that profits will not suffer. The Problem Mars Inc. is one of the largest confectionary businesses in the world. Products of Mars Inc. products include Starburst, Snickers, Skittles, and M&M’s among many, many others. However, in today’s health awareness people are becoming less and less inclined to indulge themselves in foods high in sugar, fat, and calories. Mars is now faced with the problem of keeping their profits up, while changing to the market to accommodate the tastes of the consumers.
Recommendations
I believe that it would be prudent of Mars to introduce a product that offers more protein, and less calories, similar to a “health” bar. With Snickers slogan as “Hungry? Grab a Snickers” it would seem that Mars is taking into consideration that it is producing more than just a candy bar. In fact, Mars has started producing CocoaVia, a chocolate bar that has higher elements of Flavanols, which the FDA has confirmed reduces cholesterol. (Barrionnuevo, 2005) I also recommend that Mars starts researching ways to lower calorie count, sugar, and fat in their already existing product line. Most people are wary of trying something new when it comes to healthy alternatives in their food. Mars has already marketed these products for more than 75 years, and the population has already gotten to know these products. If Mars could manage to reduce the calories, fat, and sugar and still maintain the same taste then they wouldn’t have to worry about profits falling.
Balance between commitments to Shareholders and Community Mars is already doing a good job of balancing their responsibility to both
References: Barrionuevo, A. (2005, October 31). ADVERTISING: An apple a day for health? Mars recommends two bars of chocolate. New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE2DC1F3FF932A05753C1A9639C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=2 Community Relations Local Example (2007, September). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from http://www.mars.com/NR/rdonlyres/74395EDA-4328-4B6A-B762-5663A3665F83/0/mars_community_relations_local_examples_sept_2007.pdf Hunger, J. D., & Wheelen, T. L. (2007). Essentials of Strategic Management (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.