Net worth US$4.0 billion (1999) | Role Businessman Name Forrest Sr. | |
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Full Name Forrest Edward Mars Children Jacqueline Mars, Forrest Mars, Jr., John Franklyn Mars, John Mars Parents Ethel V. Mars, Franklin Clarence Mars Similar People Franklin Clarence Mars, Forrest Mars - Jr, Jacqueline Mars, John Franklyn Mars, Stephen M Badger | ||
out of the box : Forrest Mars, Sr
Forrest Edward Mars Sr. (March 21, 1904 – July 1, 1999) was an American businessman and the driving force of the Mars candy empire. He is best known for introducing Milky Way (1923) and Mars (1932) chocolate candy bars, and M&M's (1941) chocolate candy, as well as orchestrating the launch of Uncle Ben's Rice. He was the son of candy company Mars, Inc. founder Frank C. Mars and his first wife Ethel G. Mars (née Kissack).
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Early life and career
Mars was born in Wadena, Minnesota, and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada after his parents' divorce when he was just a child. He rarely saw his father. After high school he entered the University of California, Berkeley and later transferred to Yale University, where he completed a degree in industrial engineering in 1928.
As an adult, Forrest Mars reunited with his father at Mars, Inc. However the pair ran into a disagreement when Forrest wanted to expand abroad while his father did not. Mars then took a buyout from his father and moved to England where he created the Mars bar and Maltesers while estranged from his father in 1933. In Europe, Mars briefly worked for Nestlé and the Tobler company.
After he returned to the United States, Mars started his own food business, Food Products Manufacturing, where he established the Uncle Ben's Rice line and a pet food business, Pedigree. In partnership later with Bruce Murrie, Mars developed M&M's, the chocolate candy covered in a crunchy shell which "melts in your mouth, not in your hands," in 1940. They were modeled after a candy that he had discovered while in Spain during the 1930s. It is believed that he got the idea when he saw soldiers eating a similar candy during the Spanish Civil War. Peanut M&M's were introduced in 1954 although Forrest had been allergic to peanuts his entire life. Murrie later left the business.
Following the death of his father, Forrest Mars took over the family business, Mars, Inc, merging it with his own company in 1964. He was married to Audrey Ruth Meyer (b. May 25, 1910, in Chicago, d. June 15, 1989, in Washington, D.C.), and they had four children – Forrest Jr., John, janet and Jacqueline.
Mars retired from Mars, Inc. in 1973, turning the company over to his children.
In 1980, retired and living in Henderson, Nevada, he founded Ethel M Chocolates, named after his mother. Ethel M was purchased by Mars, Inc. in 1988.
Mars died at age 95 in Miami, Florida, having amassed a fortune of $4 billion. He was ranked as 30th in Forbes magazine's list of richest Americans (Forrest Jr. and John were 29th and 31st, respectively). He left the business jointly to his three children.
Mars was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1984.