How A Broke Candy Maker Started The Second Richest Family in America

The world-famous Mars corporation is a multi-billion-dollar confectionary giant run by a family who is as tight-lipped about their personal lives as they are about their business practices.
The company is known for its fortress levels of secrecy, with photographs of key family members hard to come by.
Yet over the years historians have been able to shed light on the inner workings and family history of one of America’s wealthiest dynasties. A dynasty that also dominates pet food markets, pasta sauces and chewing gum.
But is running your own chocolate family as sweet as it sounds or will the strain it puts on your loved ones leave a sour taste in your mouth?
Considering this once small-time family-run sweet shop is now a bigger brand than McDonalds, Kellogg’s and even four times as big as Hershey – their biggest competitor – it’s fair to say we could all learn a lot about running a business - and family - by examining the Mars Corporation.
So it's time to learn How History Works as we peel back the wrapper on the rise and lives of the Mars Family: Sweets, Success and Secrecy.

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#HowHistoryWorks #business #history

Written By: Sam Ely

Video Created By: Gabriela Gutierrez

Footage Courtesy of: Getty Images

Music Provided By: Epidemic Sound

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SOURCRES

[Sosi]

Ah... Those good old days when you could pay for a Yale tuition by working part time at a coffee shop...

[Zeero]

He probably could've done better with his family, but remember, wealth isn't money. The business itself is the wealth, and the competency to run one is valuable all on its own, even though you couldn't put a price on it. He's a wise man, at least, to know that you don't make money only to have spoiled kids to give them to. It's like you really didn't leave them with anything but money.

[fnxplatad]

They own 3 large veterinary hospitals in the US.

1. Banfield (1000 hospitals)
2. VCA (over 1, 000 hospitals)
3. Blue Pearl (103 hospitals)

Along with a veterinary reference laboratory named Antech (one of the 3 labs who holds a monopoly in the US).

Along with dog food such as Pedigree, Royal Canin, ect.

[MadhavVij]

Criminally underrated channel, this is a love story between money and history, what's not to love about it? Adding Sam, this channel is just my comfort zone. I hope it gets picked up by the algorithm and becomes huge soon.

[orboakin]

Wow! I had no idea the history of the Mars company was this fascinating. In Nigeria, my country, they are the second most popular brand of candy you find in stores, besides Cadbury.

[GoingtoHecq]

Forest Mars may have wanted to be strict, but he really must have been a completely self absorbed jerk if he made his wife go hungry when she was pregnant just to avoid letting anyone in his family experience luxury.

[Umbreon-lnfe]

I've met a couple members of the Mars family (Linda and Victoria) and they've been personable enough. I can't say much regarding their business capabilities as I'm not exposed to that side of them. They've always had a soft spot for our local products and often request we ship them a few hundred packs of product not available in international markets.

[free]

I would hate to build a business that would alienate my children to the extent that they do not want others to say my name in their presence. Does not sound like a success to me.

[samuelpo]

how tf does this video only have 42k views? expected it to be in the millions, def subscribing.

[mustang]

No point in being rich if you can't actually enjoy it. This dude was addicted to success

[wyswygsommer]

I dont know what the company does in term of distribution, but mars, snikers and co. are in every supermarket, gas station, etc. across europe. Their spots on the shelfs seem inviolable. Many other new sweets companies are basically got pushed away due to the limited spots.

[Gaspardrow]

The idea of not spoiling your children and challenging them is great, but not showing the your love and care is abusive, all the money in the world will not replace the true love and care of family... Bad move forest... Hope they made up before his death 🙏

[margamaster]

Worked for Mars in 1994-1996 in Europe. Met Forrest Mars Jr. He was a peculiar guy.

[chellybub]

This was great, really reminds me of Krupp in a lot of ways. Almost bankrupting the family for a dream, passing on a legacy of strict rules, quality over everything.

Though they did go off the deep end there towards the end... Interesting that this also came when the heir acted like a rich playboy. Maybe Mr. Mars had a point.

[deannal.newton]

I knew that Mars was family owned but I never knew that they were that rich. I remember watching an episode of The Food That Built America when they talked about Mars and Hershey. To what I understand he was already a successful candy maker and he even took in his estranged son. Good to know about more of the details because they didn't talk about that much on the show, but I do know that M&Ms was first made in Newark, New Jersey. I think they moved the location to Hackensack afterwards but at the same time I always thought that Mars Jr. had sold the company as oppose to keeping it in the family and making it a lot of money.

[dancingdingo]

I went on a blind date with this guy who would say that he's the man from Mars. First thing I thought of was the planet and thought he was mad then he explained that he worked for the candy company 😂. It made him memorable.😜

[stephendebruijn]

It was Forrest Jr who started the factory in the Netherlands. Not his brother John.
And the picture you are using being Forrest Senior is the picture of Forrest Junior.
Forrest Junior died in 2016 at the age of 84.

[johnhaydt]

MARS is one of the largest owners of Veterinary Medicine Practices in the world. They normally buy a going concern with a managing Veterinarian and one or more Associate Veterinarians grossing at least $1 million per year, excellent cash flow, etc.
Have you considered reporting on this end of MARS, inc?

[Quantumrevela]

Dear sir this video is of absolute quality.

[me]

Story is interesting and all, but the writing really made me chuckle. I love puns.