UAB "Mars Lietuva"

UAB "Mars Lietuva" is a Lithuanian private limited company belonging to Mars, Incorporated, the global food and petcare conglomerate. The company operates one of Mars’ major European pet food manufacturing facilities in Gargždai, Klaipėda district, Lithuania, producing wet pet food for numerous Mars brands and exporting the majority of its output to European markets.

Company Overview

Legal name: Uždaroji akcinė bendrovė "Mars Lietuva"
Trade name: Mars Lietuva
Founded: 1993 (manufacturing operations commenced; the legal entity was established in the early 1990s and later rebranded from Effem Lietuva to Mars Lietuva)
Headquarters (registered office): Gargždai, Klaipėdos r. savivaldybė (Klaipėda District Municipality), Lithuania
Industry sector: Pet care (consumer packaged goods; food manufacturing)

Legal Information

Įmonės kodas (company registration code): Not publicly confirmed in accessible sources. Please verify via the Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities (Registrų centras).
PVM kodas (VAT code): Not publicly confirmed in accessible sources (the VAT number in Lithuania typically begins with "LT"). Please verify via VIES or Registrų centras.
Official website: https://www.mars.com (global) and country pages; a Lithuanian site has historically operated at https://www.mars.lt (availability may vary).
Official email address: Not directly published for UAB "Mars Lietuva". Mars, Incorporated provides contact forms and regional contact channels via the global website.
Registered office address: Gargždai, Klaipėda district, Lithuania (full street address not publicly confirmed in accessible sources).
Main phone number: Not publicly confirmed in accessible sources specific to UAB "Mars Lietuva".

Note: For authoritative legal identifiers, address, and phone, consult the Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities (JAR) maintained by Registrų centras, or reputable business directories (e.g., Rekvizitai).

Business Operations

Main products/services:
- Manufacturing of wet pet food (pouches, cans) primarily for cats and dogs.
- Production for Mars petcare brands such as Whiskas, Pedigree, Kitekat, Sheba, and Caesar (brand portfolios can vary by line and market).
- Packaging and logistics operations supporting distribution across European markets.

Business model:
- Business-to-business manufacturing within Mars, Incorporated’s integrated supply chain.
- Export-oriented production with a high share shipped to EU markets; products reach retail shelves via Mars’ regional sales organizations and third-party distributors.
- Quality, safety, and sustainability standards aligned with Mars’ global policies (food safety certifications, responsible sourcing, energy efficiency initiatives).

Market position:
- A strategically important European manufacturing hub for Mars Petcare, known for scale, export orientation, and modern production capabilities.

History

Founding and early years: Mars established pet food manufacturing operations in Gargždai in the early 1990s (operations widely cited as commencing in 1993). The Lithuanian entity was originally associated with Effem (a Mars Europe unit), later rebranded as UAB "Mars Lietuva".

Development milestones:
- 1990s: Ramp-up of wet pet food capacity serving Baltic, Nordic, and broader European markets.
- 2000s–2010s: Expansion of production lines, automation upgrades, and packaging innovations; alignment with Mars’ global quality and sustainability programs.
- 2010s–2020s: Ongoing investments in capacity expansion, efficiency, and environmental initiatives (energy management, waste reduction). Public reporting and local media have periodically highlighted significant capital investments to increase output and modernize facilities.

Note: Specific dates and investment amounts vary by source and are not uniformly disclosed; consult local press archives and Mars corporate announcements for detailed timelines.

Financial Information

Revenue: UAB "Mars Lietuva" is a privately held company; detailed audited revenue figures are typically accessible through Lithuania’s Registrų centras (for a fee) or summarized in business media. Publicly available press has indicated that the factory’s annual revenue has reached hundreds of millions of euros in recent years, reflecting export-led growth, but exact figures fluctuate year-on-year and should be verified from official filings.

Funding rounds: Not applicable; the company is part of Mars, Incorporated and finances investments through corporate resources rather than public equity or venture fundraising.

Ownership structure: Wholly owned within Mars, Incorporated’s corporate group (ultimate parent: Mars, Incorporated, USA). Local shareholding is typically held through European Mars subsidiaries; official shareholder(s) can be confirmed via Registrų centras.

Leadership and Management

Key executives (vadovai):
- General Manager / Plant Director: Not publicly confirmed in accessible sources.
- Operations, Quality, Engineering, HR leaders: Positions exist at the site level per Mars’ organizational frameworks, but individual names are not uniformly disclosed.

Board of directors: As a private limited company (UAB), governance complies with Lithuanian corporate law. Detailed board composition and signatory rights should be verified through Registrų centras filings.

Note: Executive names and positions change over time; authoritative, current details are available from the Register of Legal Entities (JAR) and official company filings.

Office Locations

Primary site:
- Gargždai manufacturing facility, Klaipėda district, Lithuania.
- Street address and plant telephone are not publicly confirmed in accessible sources for inclusion here; local directories (Rekvizitai) and JAR provide exact details.

Additional offices: None publicly indicated in Lithuania beyond the manufacturing site; commercial activities are managed via Mars’ regional sales organizations across Europe.

Market Position

Competitors (pet food):
- Nestlé Purina PetCare (Purina, Friskies, Felix).
- Hill’s Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive).
- Spectrum Brands (IAMS/Eukanuba in certain markets) and other regional brands.

Market share: Mars Petcare holds strong positions in European pet food markets, especially in wet cat food segments. Site-level market share is not reported; market share is tracked at the brand/category level across countries.

Competitive advantages:
- Scale and integration within Mars’ global supply chain.
- Strong brand portfolio recognized in the EU retail market.
- Continuous investment in manufacturing efficiency, quality systems, and packaging innovation.
- Export logistics and geographic proximity to Northern and Central European markets.

Recent Developments

Capacity and investment: Public reports over the past decade note periodic capacity expansions and modernization investments at the Gargždai plant, supporting increased export volumes and product variety.

Sustainability and community: Mars globally targets reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, packaging impacts, and improved sourcing. Local initiatives at Mars Lietuva commonly align with these goals and include energy-efficiency projects and community engagement in the Klaipėda region.

News and partnerships: Specific partnership announcements and new line openings are periodically covered by Lithuanian business media (Verslo žinios, Delfi, 15min) and Mars corporate newsrooms. Verify the latest updates via Mars’ official press releases and local media archives.

Contact Information

Company name: UAB "Mars Lietuva"
Official website: https://www.mars.com (global) and historically https://www.mars.lt (Lithuania)
Email: Not publicly listed for UAB "Mars Lietuva"; use Mars’ global contact forms for inquiries.
Registered office address: Gargždai, Klaipėda district, Lithuania (full address not publicly confirmed here).
Telephone: Not publicly confirmed in accessible sources specific to UAB "Mars Lietuva".

How to verify official contact and legal identifiers:
- Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities (Registrų centras, JAR) for the official address, company code, VAT number, and authorized signatories.
- Rekvizitai (Lithuanian business directory) for practical contact details.
- VIES (EU VAT Information Exchange System) for VAT validation.

Sources and References

- Mars, Incorporated official site and corporate information: https://www.mars.com (Petcare, company background, sustainability).
- Mars Lithuania site (historical/local information; availability may vary): https://www.mars.lt
- Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities (Registrų centras, JAR): https://www.registrucentras.lt/jar/ (official legal data, shareholders, executives).
- EU VIES VAT validation: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/
- Rekvizitai business directory (company listings and contacts): https://rekvizitai.lt (search “Mars Lietuva”).
- Lithuanian business media covering investments and performance (verify specific articles for dates and figures): Verslo žinios (https://www.vz.lt), Delfi (https://www.delfi.lt), 15min (https://www.15min.lt).

Disclaimer: This profile consolidates publicly accessible information as of recent years. For precision-critical data (įmonės kodas, PVM kodas, full registered address, phone numbers, and current executives), consult the official Lithuanian registry and the company’s official communications.