Market Summaries
Mars GCC
(Gulf Cooperation Council)
Key Facts
- Launched in Dubai in 1993
- Five business segments: Chocolate, Petcare, Food, Drinks and Wrigley
- 330+ Associates
- One factory and one office
- Popular brands include GALAXY®, GALAXY JEWELS®, SNICKERS®, MARS®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, FLAVIA® and KLIX®
MARS IN THE GCC
Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and established in 1993, Mars GCC is a leading chocolate manufacturer in the Middle East.
We opened our chocolate factory in 1998 to produce GALAXY JEWELS® and later extended the site to produce the complete range of GALAXY® products as well as MARS® and SNICKERS® bars.
In addition to the brands we manufacture in the region, we import and sell a range of Mars Chocolate, Petcare and Food brands across all the GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE). We also export to countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. We employ more than 330 Associates holding over 35 nationalities.
PRINCIPLES IN ACTION
Energy is a key issue in such a hot part of the world, where cooling systems are a necessity. We encourage Associates to champion energy-saving initiatives, such as solar panels, ammonia chillers and wind ventilators. In 2010, we achieved ISO 14001 certification, and we are recognized by regulators in the region as a leader among manufacturing companies in reducing our environmental impact. We include energy-saving measures in our future site plans and initiatives and continuously review and improve our Energy Management System.
We have fitted all our sales vans with geographic information systems (GPS) to improve route planning and reduce fuel use, which has cut the carbon footprint of our sales operations by 55 percent. Our environmental commitment also extends to our products. In 2010, we re-engineered GALAXY® packaging materials, saving 161 tonnes of plastic.
The Dubai site continues to implement other Associate-led initiatives to reduce our environmental impacts, including installing waterless urinals and sensor taps on all faucets, which together reduce water consumption by 800,000 liters per year. Our upgraded wastewater-treatment system now generates clean and recycled water for irrigation. We installed electric motors and light sensors to reduce the amount of power our factory uses. Additionally, we work with the government to recycle old IT equipment to be used in local schools.
We designed our offices to be more sustainable by using biodegradable flooring made from recyclable materials, installing sensor lighting in meeting, filing and prayer rooms, and by using natural lighting wherever possible.
Launched in 2006, our "Al Haraka Baraka" ("movement is a blessing") program teaches school children across the UAE and Saudi Arabia to lead healthy, active lifestyles. In 2007, the program received an award from the UAE Ministry of Education and, by 2008, 100,000 children were taking part. We are now working with the Arab Center for Nutrition, King Saud University and the Ministry of Education to further develop the program and reach more children. We also run a "Winning with Wellness" program to encourage Associates to be more active. As part of this program, in 2010 Mars introduced the "Walk with Me" program to promote physical activity among Associates in a fun and simple way.
Mars is one of the founding board members of INJAZ Al Arab. Based in the UAE, INJAZ is part of the Global Junior Achievement program, which expanded into the UAE in 2005. The program educates, inspires and teaches high school students the skills needed for professional life. The program also gives our Associates the opportunity to give back to their local communities by mentoring, inspiring, leading and becoming role models for the students. Mars Associates have supported the INJAZ Leadership Program and the Success Skills and Community Project since 2006.
As part of our commitment to health and nutrition, we recently launched the Planet Mars website at planetmarsme. This website helps raise awareness of health issues, promotes healthy living and supports the introduction of guideline daily amount labeling for our products, which we will complete in 2011.
