PARIS — During the seventh annual Choose France Summit, Mars, Incorporated announced plans to invest more than €130 million ($141.2 million USD) in its pet, confectionery and food manufacturing operations within the country in 2024. The investment aims to support eight of the company’s factories in France with the creation of 72 new jobs and the implementation of new green technologies to support Mars’ goal toward net zero emissions.
Mars’ pet, confectionery and food operations in France currently generate around 4,000 jobs throughout nine different sites, consisting of eight manufacturing plants. This is not the company’s first significant investment in the country; last year, Mars committed €130 million ($141.2 million USD) to its French operations.
According to Mars, its 2024 investment plan demonstrates its commitment to growth, employment, innovation and ecological transition, and will provide a significant contribution to France’s economic development and growth.
“At Mars, we are deeply committed to making a significant contribution to the French economy and society,” said Romain Dumas, managing director of Mars Petcare and Food France. “This commitment is based on our mission, which is to continue to develop our business to create value for people, animals, company and the planet, while reducing our emissions. In 2024, we will invest more than €130 million in France. This investment aims not only to improve our infrastructure, but also to support local communities and promote sustainable development.”
The investment will help strengthen Mars’ local industrial footprint in France, as well as its global operations. According to Mars, 70% of the production in its French facilities is exported.
Regarding its pet food operations, Mars’ investment will go toward its factories in Cambrai, Aimargues, Saint-Denis-de-l’Hôtel and Ernolsheim, supporting its iconic PEDIGREE® and WHISKAS® brands, as well as its Royal Canin division. The funds will be used to increase the facilities’ production capacity, as well as modernize and digitalize its processes with the aim of reducing Mars’ ecological footprint.
Additionally, a significant portion of the investment will be used to support the installation of new production lines at Mars’ Saint-Denis-de-l’Hôtel site, which currently manufactures PEDIGREE and WHISKAS packaging. At the Saint-Denis-de-l’Hôtel site, Mars will modernize its existing production platform to produce more products, while consuming fewer resources. The company will also renovate offices at the site to create more collaborative workspaces. Through these plans, the improved Saint-Denis-de-l’Hôtel site will enable the recruitment of about 60 new employees annually.
Mars will also commit nearly €48 million ($52.2 million USD) to Royal Canin, which has French and global headquarters based at the Aimargues site. Royal Canin’s current operations at this site includes a factory, pilot plant, R&D center and two laboratories. Mars plans to renovate kennels and offices at the site to support the wellbeing of pets and employees, install solar panels and expand storage capacity for raw materials.
In addition to investments in its pet care division, Mars also plans to dedicate funds toward its confectionery and human food operations. Particularly, the company will renovate, modernize and digitalize its French facilities in these sectors to support its goal toward net zero emissions by 2050 across its entire global value chain.
“With these initiatives, we strengthen our commitment to France, demonstrate our confidence in its ability to innovate and prosper, and actively participate in its economic dynamism for a responsible and sustainable future,” Dumas said. “We look forward to a constructive conversation with the government on the need to continue economic reforms to unleash growth in France and the European Union.”
Mars’ French operations currently produce and market nearly 30 of the world’s most popular pet food, confectionery and human food brands, including WHISKAS and SHEBA, according to the company. These operations contribute over €2.5 billion ($2.7 billion USD) in sales for the company.
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