Can You Invest in Mars in 2025? Everything You Need to Know

By Matthew DiLallo – Updated Dec 5, 2025 at 10:36 AM EST | Fact-checked by Margo Winton Parodi

Key Points

Mars, a family-held company since 1911, operates in confectionery, pet care, and food sectors.
The company plans to buy Kellanova for $35.9B to expand its snacking division.
Mars remains private; investors can't buy shares but can invest in similar listed companies.
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Mars has been a family-owned company for more than a century. The company started out selling candy and has since grown into one of the country's largest privately held companies.

Someone eating a piece of chocolate. — Image source: Getty Images.

Mars owns many well-known brands and operates three business units:

Pet care: Mars owns 44 pet care brands, including Whiskas, Royal Canin, and Pedigree. The company also owns Banfield Pet Hospitals and VCA Animal Hospitals.
Snacking: There are 34 brands that make up this segment, including Wrigley. With Warren Buffett's help, Mars bought the iconic Wrigley Company for $23 billion in 2008 (and has since bought out Buffett's stake). It combined Wrigley with its legacy chocolate business,. Today, it owns several leading confectionery brands, including M&M's, Snickers, Twix, and Skittles.
Food & Nutrition: The company owns 14 leading food brands, including by Ben's Original.

Mars agreed to buy leading packaged foods company Kellanova (NYSE:K) for $35.9 billion in 2024. Kellanova owns the Pringles, Cheez-It, Rice Crispy Treats, and Eggo brands. The deal, which is still awaiting full approval, would enable Mars to double its snacking division over the next decade.

Mars has long been a fiercely private company. However, that hasn't stopped investors from salivating at the prospect that it will eventually complete an initial public offering (IPO). Here's a closer look at what investors should know about this leading food, confectionery, and pet care company if it ever goes public.

IPO

IPO (Initial Public Offering) is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public, making it a publicly traded entity.

Is Mars publicly traded?

Mars is not a publicly traded company. It has been privately held by the Mars family since Franklin Mars founded it in 1911. Mars is one of the country's largest private companies. According to Forbes, Mars produced the fourth-highest revenue among private companies in 2023, at $50 billion.

When will Mars IPO?

Mars didn't have an IPO on the calendar as of late 2025 and won't likely complete one anytime soon. Mars has remained a privately held company for over a century, which seems likely to continue.

The company has said it wants to remain family-owned and private because that allows it to pursue its growth strategy and invest for the long term without catering to outside shareholders.

Is Mars profitable?

As a family-owned company, Mars doesn't need to disclose its financial results publicly, so we don't know exactly how much money it makes each year. However, we do know the company generates significant revenue. Mars had revenue of around $55 billion as of mid-2025, more revenue than beverage giant Coca-Cola (KO +0.34%) produced.

We also know the company is solidly profitable. On its website, the company wrote about the role of profit, stating, "The freedom of Mars depends on the creation of profit. Because Mars is profitable and generates cash, we need not borrow money to the extent that we might lose control over our affairs."

Mars' strong profitability is a big reason it has remained private throughout the years. It doesn't need capital from outside investors to fund its growth.

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ETFs options

Many investors would prefer to invest passively rather than actively manage a portfolio of stocks. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) make that easy.

Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)

An exchange-traded fund, or ETF, allows investors to buy many stocks or bonds at once.

Mars isn't publicly traded, so you can't get passive exposure to its stock through an ETF. However, you can invest in ETFs focused on food stocks to capitalize on the same trends driving Mars' growth. Some of the top food ETFs to consider are:

First Trust Nasdaq Food & Beverage ETF (FTXG +0.64%): The ETF aims to provide investors with exposure to the U.S. food and beverage industry. It held shares of 30 companies in late 2025, including Hershey (the seventh-largest holding, at 4.1% of the fund's assets). The fund charges investors an ETF expense ratio of 0.6%.
Invesco Food & Beverage ETF (PBJ +0.45%): This ETF also gives investors access to the U.S. food and beverage industry through a single fund. It held shares of 31 companies in late 2025, with Hershey as its second-largerst holding at 5.3% of its assets. The fund had a slightly higher total expense ratio of 0.61%.

The bottom line on Mars

Mars is one of the largest privately held companies in the country. The family-owned confectionery and pet care company will likely remain private because it doesn't need outside capital and the family doesn't want to cede control to outsiders.

Although public investors can't own a piece of the company, there are several ways to invest in the same trends that have enabled Mars to grow into a top company.

FAQ

About the Author

Matt DiLallo has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst specializing in covering dividend-paying companies, particularly in the energy and REIT sectors, since 2012. He also covers pre-IPO companies, ETFs, and other investing topics. He holds an MBA from Liberty University.

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Matt DiLallo has positions in Coca-Cola and Hershey. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Freshpet and Hershey. The Motley Fool recommends Nestlé. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.