The best-in-class, global research and development hub will be adjacent to the company's existing Global Innovation Center on Goose Island. Leaders from Mars, as well as key Chicago stakeholders, including Michael Fassnacht, CEO, World Business Chicago, and Alderman Walter Burnett Jr, gathered to commemorate the milestone for the company.
Speaking when the announcement was made in April 2022, Chris Rowe, Global Vice President of Research and Development, Mars Wrigley, said: "Mars has made Chicago home to innovation for nearly 100 years, producing some of the world's most beloved and iconic snacks and treats.
"Creating new jobs and a world-class, multimillion- dollar research and development hub demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the Chicagoland area and accelerates our future for innovation. This facility brings exciting new capabilities and enhances the vibrant innovation culture Mars has on Goose Island."
This multimillion-dollar investment will make Chicago home to the company's largest innovation hub in the world, creating a best-in-class workplace that will position Mars Wrigley to drive category-leading innovations for the company's iconic global snacks and treats brands such as M&M'S, SNICKERS, TWIX, and more.
The new facility will incorporate a test kitchen for developing new products, state-of-the-art pilot lines, and an area for breakthrough technology development.
At the event, Rowe said: "As a leader in snacking and treating, we look forward to Chicago being the centre of exciting, consumer-driven innovations that span the globe."
The investment will bring approximately 30 additional jobs to the Mars Wrigley Global Innovation Center, with jobs on the Mars Goose Island campus nearing 1,000. The project is slated to be complete by summer 2023.
