- From Melton Mowbray to millions of pet bowls: the multi-million-pound transformation will introduce new high-speed, fully recyclable pouch production lines, advanced manufacturing technologies and waste reducing utility upgrades at the site - home of WHISKAS® in the UK.
- Today’s announcement takes the Mars investment in its UK manufacturing and operational network to more than half a billion pounds since 2021.
- This latest investment in Melton Mowbray will create over 30 new skilled employment opportunities in the first year and expand the site's permanent apprenticeship cohort.
Melton Mowbray (November 10, 2026) – Mars, Incorporated, the family-owned business behind household brands including WHISKAS®, PEDIGREE® and SHEBA®, Ben’s Original™, EXTRA®, M&M’s® and SNICKERS®, has today announced a £161 million (GBP) investment to modernize and future-proof its historic pet nutrition factory in Melton Mowbray.
This latest commitment takes the company’s total capital investment in the UK to £661 million since 2021.1 It follows a £190 million investment announced earlier this year in the Mars chocolate factory in Slough, and a £1.2 million upgrade to its pet nutrition research and development hub in Birstall.
The major upgrade to the site will introduce advanced manufacturing technologies, including smart optical sorting to cut production waste by over 50%, alongside installation of state-of-the-art pouch lines to enable the switch to fully recyclable mono-PP packaging. Together, these upgrades will create a more modern, resilient and future-ready manufacturing operation.
The investment will also actively support local employment and career pathways by creating more than 30 skilled technical and engineering roles in the first year. It will expand Melton Mowbray's dedicated apprentice program from 26 to 33 permanent positions by 2027.
By offering practical, high-tech skills, the program directly supports the UK Government’s ambitions for regional economic growth and youth employment. Across its wider UK business, Mars currently employs more than 140 apprentices, backed by a dedicated curriculum designed to upskill Associates in artificial intelligence, digital systems, and data analytics. Mars maintains an impressive 97% permanent placement offer rate for apprentices upon completion of their training.
Nick Foster, General Manager for Mars Pet Nutrition, Northern Europe, said:
"The UK is a cornerstone of our global pet care business at Mars, and this £161 million investment is a direct statement of our confidence in the UK market and the vital role our British factories play within our wider European network. Melton Mowbray has been feeding the nation's pets for 75 years. By equipping our teams with world-class technology and sustainable manufacturing capabilities, we are strengthening the site's role within our regional supply network and ensuring we can continue to meet the needs of British pet owners for years to come.”
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
“This investment is great news for the East Midlands, which will bring jobs, apprenticeships and opportunities to local communities and shows that our economic plan is working. It’s an investment which marks a huge vote of confidence in local talent and British industry – the driving force behind our plan to reindustrialize and bring good growth to every postcode.”
Mars contributes $7.7 billion Gross Value Add to the UK economy annually2 and employs over 10,000 Associates across Britain, which serves as the company’s second-largest market globally. The business operates eight manufacturing facilities across the UK - including Slough, Plymouth, Melton Mowbray, Birstall, Milton Keynes, Castle Cary and King’s Lynn. This industrial footprint is complemented by the world-leading Waltham Petcare Science Institute in Leicestershire, an international authority on animal health and nutrition, alongside Linnaeus, a veterinary network of more than 180 clinics and referral hospitals across the UK and Ireland.
Media Contact:
020 3003 6632 / marspressoffice@freuds.com
