Mars Wrigley Australia announced today that it is investing over $300,000 to bring new technologies to its chocolate factory in Ballarat, Victoria.
The investment enables Mars Wrigley to produce M&M’S® Pretzel locally, bringing the salty and sweet treat to Australia for the first time. Additionally, the latest investment expands the capability for the Ballarat factory to create filled M&M’S® and explore more Australian-made innovations for M&M’S®.
According to Mars Wrigley the latest equipment upgrade is part of a broader AU$37 million investment that they have committed to in 2020 – enabling the manufacturer to continue to upgrade the factory to future-proof and advance its local manufacturing capability.
Andrew Leakey, General Manager – Mars Wrigley Australia, said: “We are dedicated to continuing to support Australia’s manufacturing sector and invest and innovate in infrastructure, equipment and processes at our local factories to ensure they remain world class. This latest project is part of our long-term ambition to continue to drive and develop our core bitesize brands that we manufacture locally in Ballarat.”
“We are thrilled to be introducing a new variant into our bitesize portfolio with our locally produced M&M’S® Pretzel for chocolate lovers in Australia to enjoy.”
The investment follows the Ballarat factory’s 40th Anniversary, which it celebrated in November last year and builds on the $14 million invested into the Ballarat factory to maintain and upgrade its operations in 2018. The factory currently has the capacity to produce over five billion M&M’S® per year.
Ballarat is one of four Mars factories in the world that manufactures and exports MALTESERS® and back in 2012 Mars Wrigley invested close to $50 million to build a new MALTESERS® production facility. Ballarat is also the only Mars Wrigley factory in the world that has the capability to manufacture PODS ®. It is also a Regional Technical Hub for Mars Wrigley’s global brand development and innovation pipeline.
M&M’S® Pretzel will be available in major supermarkets nationwide from next week, first in Coles (w/c 13 July) and then in Woolworths from 28 July.
