logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
18m 57s

Savory Snacks: Mars Inc.'s acquisition o...

Skip Montreux, Dez Morgan & Samantha Vega | Business English Instructors
About this episode

Mars Inc., known for its chocolate products like Mars bars and M&Ms, is making a major move into the savory snack market. With a $35.9 billion deal to acquire Kellanova, Mars is positioning itself to compete with industry giants like PepsiCo. This acquisition could reshape the savory snack landscape and help Mars diversify beyond its traditional chocolate-based portfolio.

Skip Montreux and Dez Morgan discuss Mars Inc.’s acquisition of Kellanova, a major player in the global savory snack market.  Formerly part of Kellogg's, Kellanova produces well-known brands like Pringles and Rice Krispie Treats. Skip and Dez explore why Mars, typically focused on chocolate, is investing heavily in snacks like crisps and pretzels. They also look at how the rise in cocoa prices has pushed Mars to diversify its portfolio and enter the savory snack market.

Listeners looking to enhance their business English, Skip and Dez's discussion offers valuable insights Mars Inc.'s strategic move into the savory snack market. Key points include:

  1. Mars Inc. is acquiring Kellanova for $35.9 billion, giving it a major stake in the global snack food industry.
  2. Kellanova is a new snack food company, formerly a division of Kellogg's, featuring brands like Pringles.
  3. Rising cocoa prices are driving Mars to diversify into savory snacks, which are less affected by cocoa market fluctuations.


Do you like what you hear?

Become a D2B Member today for to access to our -- NEW!!!-- interactive audio scripts, PDF Audio Script Library, Bonus Vocabulary episodes, and D2B Member-only episodes.

Visit d2benglish.com/membership for more information.

Follow Down to Business English on Apple podcasts, rate the show, and leave a comment.

Contact Skip, Dez, and Samantha at

downtobusinessenglish@gmail.com

Follow Skip & Dez

Skip Montreux on Linkedin

Skip Montreux on Instagram

Skip Montreux on Twitter

Skip Montreux on Facebook

Dez Morgan on Twitter

RSS Feed

Up next
Sep 25
Image Washing
From rainbow logos during Pride Month to eco-friendly rebrands by oil giants, businesses often try to make themselves look more responsible than they really are. These tactics — known as 'image washing' — can involve sports, social causes, AI, or environmental promises. In this e ... Show More
21m 50s
Sep 6
The Stablecoin Gold Rush — Why Wall Street Is Betting on Digital Dollars
Stablecoins are suddenly the hottest topic in global finance. From Wall Street giants like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, to governments in the U.S., Japan, and even China, everyone is rushing to get a piece of the digital dollar market. But what exactly are stablecoins, and why are ... Show More
17m 13s
Aug 18
The Protein Push: From Bodybuilding Niche to Global Trend
Once limited to gyms and fitness circles, protein-packed products have gone mainstream. From “proffee” at Starbucks to high-protein rice balls at Japanese convenience stores, protein is everywhere — and the market is booming. In this episode of Down to Business English, Samantha ... Show More
18m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2024
Mars Inc. (the chocolate story)
M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Double Mint, Ben’s Rice, Pedigree, Whiskas, VCA, Banfield… all the brands you know, owned by the company you know nothing about: Mars, Incorporated. And Mars itself is 100% owned and deeply intertwined with the Mars family, who are currently the second ... Show More
3h 50m
Jan 2020
Eat your heart out, Willy Wonka: How Edita beat out global household names to become the leading snack food producer in Egypt (Ep 6)
If you’ve ever been starving in Egypt without a kitchen anywhere in sight, it’s likely that you’ve tried a snack by Edita. Since its founding in 1996, the maker of such brands as Todo, Molto, Bake Rolz and Twinkies, expanded its product offering, grown its manufacturing capacity, ... Show More
36m 11s
Oct 2
Financial markets shrug off the shutdown and embrace AI
European and US stock markets rallied on Wednesday, seemingly unconcerned by the US government shutdown. The S&P 500 closed above the 6,700 level for the first time ever. Asian stocks, particularly in South Korea, were boosted overnight after OpenAI signed an agreement with Samsu ... Show More
11m 26s
Jan 2025
🥜 Reese’s PB Cups: From Frog Salesman to Candy Mogul | 14
French fries and pesto? Mango and sticky rice? Ice cream and olive oil?! Real ones know when it comes to surprisingly perfect food combos, nothing tops chocolate and peanut butter (or is it peanut butter and chocolate?) - best showcased by America’s top selling candy… Reese’s Pea ... Show More
43m 27s
Apr 2025
🐣 Peeps: A Backroom Marshmallow Mystery | 26
Roscoe Rodda was in the fight of his life. His candy factory was right down the road from Milton Hershey’s—yes, THAT Hershey’s—and he needed to set himself apart. So Roscoe embraced a single holiday to get the competitive confectionery edge: Easter. Chocolate eggs, jellybeans… an ... Show More
40m 44s
Aug 2024
Space Stranded: Boeing’s Blunder Leaves Astronauts Floating | The Daily Peel
🚀 Space Drama Unfolds: Boeing’s Starliner Mishap Leaves Astronauts Stranded! In today’s episode, we dive into the high-stakes world of space exploration and corporate competition: Boeing’s Starliner capsule fails to bring astronauts home - NASA turns to SpaceX for rescue The boo ... Show More
21m 52s
Oct 2024
The Great Cacao Shortage
Odds are this Halloween you’ll see less chocolate being handed out at houses and when you open up a candy bar. (00:44) Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss:- Tesla’s return to growth expectations and positive returns for investors in 2024.- How Southwest and American Airlines are tr ... Show More
40m 24s
Aug 2024
Market Rally Aims for “Cloud Nine,” Bronfman's Paramount Bid, Eli Lilly CEO on Weight-Loss Drug 8/20/24
Carl Quintanilla and Jim Cramer led off the show by delving into the broadening market rally, as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq aim for a ninth consecutive day of gains. David Faber called into the show with reporting on Edgar Bronfman's bid to acquire Paramount Global. Eli Lilly CEO Dav ... Show More
44m 46s
May 2024
Episode 150: 1 Chip Stock Ready For A New Data Center Power Bull Market? Texas Instruments (TXN) Stock
Welcome back to Chip Stock Investor! In this special episode, we are joined by Jason Hall from Investing Unscripted. We discuss Texas Instruments (TXN), its recent stock price rally, manufacturing innovations, and future prospects. Learn about the key factors impacting TI, includ ... Show More
28m 42s
Feb 2023
429 Nom Nom for us, Awesomes!
Snacks, snacks, snacks. Who doesn’t love a snack?! This week, Meg and Kelly dig into a delicious conversation about their favorite snacks. Meg enlightens Kelly to growing up in an ingredients-only household, and Kelly reveals her microwave-less childhood. Then, they decide to for ... Show More
1h 14m