Tomato Talks: Behind-the-scenes at our King’s Lynn UK factory

When the Mars Food & Nutrition factory in King’s Lynn opened in 1963, it marked the start of an operation that would go on to produce some of the company’s most recognizable food products for people around the world.

In the latest episode of Tomato Talks, the video series highlighting the people behind Mars Food & Nutrition, viewers step inside the King’s Lynn facility to see how technology, expertise and teamwork come together to bring products from factory floor to family kitchens.

Hosted by Courtney Lambert, Senior Communications Manager, Mars Food & Nutrition, the episode features Katherine Kemp, Engineering Manager at King’s Lynn, who shares how the site continues to evolve while maintaining the high standards consumers expect.

Watch Episode 2 of "Tomato Talks"

A hub for household brands

Since opening more than six decades ago, the King’s Lynn site has grown into a key manufacturing hub for well-known brands, including Ben’s Original™ and Dolmio®.

Today the facility produces ready-to-heat rice and pasta sauces for the U.K. and 14 export markets, helping deliver convenient meals to households across multiple regions.

Mars has invested about $70 million in the site over the past decade, supporting modern production lines, upgraded equipment and the technology needed to continue expanding the Mars Food & Nutrition portfolio.

Sustainability at the core

Environmental responsibility plays an important role in day-to-day operations at King’s Lynn.

“We’re a zero waste to landfill site, which we're really proud of,” Katherine says. “And we also have 100% renewable electricity.”

Dolmio packages at the King's Lynn facility

Mars Associates at the King's Lynn facility

Additional features, including a living roof that supports local wildlife and automated blinds that reduce light pollution, help minimize the facility’s environmental footprint. Together, these initiatives support Mars’ broader ambition to produce food in a way that benefits both people and the planet.

The people behind the products

At the heart of the King’s Lynn facility are the Associates who keep production running.

“We have about 120 Associates and they are the heart of this site. Their expertise, their pride and dedication are what makes our product truly exceptional,” Katherine says.

Many Associates have built long careers at the site, bringing deep technical knowledge and experience to the teams responsible for engineering, quality, operations and maintenance.

“Our Associates have decades of experience and we make our products in a state-of-the-art facility where food safety standards are incredibly high.” Their work helps ensure that every pouch and jar produced at King’s Lynn meets the quality standards consumers expect.

Pride in every product

From its decades-long history to its focus on innovation and sustainability, the King’s Lynn site plays an important role in the Mars Food & Nutrition network.

As Katherine puts it: “Our Associates take real pride in every product they produce.”

Follow Mars Food & Nutrition on LinkedIn(Opens a new window) and mars.com to watch future episodes of Tomato Talks, as we continue highlighting the people and places behind the company’s products.