Mars Inc. acquires KIND, retaining leadership of Daniel Lubetzky

Mars Inc. (McClean, VA) has acquired KIND North America (New York City, NY). The two began their global partnership in 2017, when Mars bought a minority stake in the company in an agreement to grow KIND’s product offering and business globally. The deal gave Mars the option to fully acquire KIND down the road, and now KIND North America will join KIND International to create one organization across 35 countries, functioning as a distinct and separate business within the Mars Family of Corporations. As part of the agreement, KIND’s founder and executive chairman Daniel Lubetzky will retain an ongoing financial stake, and play a key role in the company’s future developments and expansion.

“When we began this partnership, I said it was one built on mutual admiration and a shared vision for growth,” said Grant F. Reid, CEO of Mars, in a press release. “After three years, you can see the impact, as together we have grown the healthy snacking category and brought KIND and the KIND Promise to 35 countries and into new categories. We’re delighted to continue to build on this success and welcome KIND North America into the Mars Family of Companies.”

“I am so proud of how well the Mars and KIND teams have complemented and strengthened each other over the past three years,” Lubetzky said in a press release. “We are now well positioned to further advance our efforts and continue building a foremost health and wellness platform. As we said in 2017, Mars is a company that shares KIND’s passion for business as a force for good, and I am confident that together, we will be able to make our small contribution to make this world a little kinder."