Mars revamps Euro business

Mars is poised to combine its confectionery, food and petcare divisions into a single pan-European business.

The changes take immediate effect in Europe, with the UK businesses following suit at a later stage under plans drawn up by Mars’ European management team.

In the UK, the Mars Confectionery, Pedigree Masterfoods and Seeds of Change businesses will eventually merge.

Mike Davies has been appointed UK vice-president for the petcare and food business. He replaces Sandra Blaza, who becomes European vice-president of personnel. Bill Ronald remains in charge of confectionery in his post as vice-president of UK snack food.

European petcare vice-president Ann Francke is overseeing a plan to combine petcare marketing operations in the UK and Europe.

It is unclear how the restructure will affect marketing at Mars Confectionery.

A Mars UK spokesman says: “We want a more harmonised business in Europe, because the needs of our consumers are the same across the continent.

“We have international competitors, and it’s also vital because central European countries want to be part of a single market. Our bigger markets, such as France and Germany, will now be integrated.

“The UK will definitely fall in line with the structure, but it’s a very big market for us and we’ll watch and learn what happens in Europe first.”