A Delicious Fusion of Chocolate, Caramel and Nougat
1923
Developed as Milky Way in the USA
1932
Frank C. Mars gives his son, Forrest, $50,000 and the formula for Milky Way to go to the UK and start his own business, MARS Limited, in Slough. The first MARS bars are handmade. The story of the MARS bar starts here...
WWII: 1939-45
Despite rationing of sweets and no gold ink for printing wrappers, MARS bars are manufactured and distributed to troops in the UK and prisoners of war in Germany.
1955
Comedians Bob Monkhouse and Richard Murdoch star alongside singer Petula Clark in the first MARS TV advertisement, 'Stars Love MARS'
1959
Check out the packaging evolution!
1975
Brought to Victoria from Slough, UK, MARS develops a unique selling proposition: "A MARS a day helps you work, rest and play."
1978
It's party time! MARS FUN SIZE 250g introduced.
1978
The Ballarat factory is completed. In 1979 MARS Bars are the first product to come off the line.
1994
MARS Millions Promotion re-Introduced, now known as Free Bars!
2010
MARS partners with Australian sport, kicking off sponsorships across football that would last the next 10 years.
2017
MARS continues to support Ballarat community by securing naming rights to MARS Stadium.
2018
MARS® brand platform Enough Chocolate To Deal With Anything launches.
2019
MARS celebrates 40 years of proudly manufacturing in Ballarat.
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