FTC clears Mars’ pending Kellanova acquisition

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FTC clears Mars’ pending Kellanova acquisition

1 Jul 2025

Maddie Lambert

Maddie Lambert is a copywriter and editor from Joplin, MO. She graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English – literary studies. When she’s not poring over the magazine or lost in the pages of a new novel, you can find Maddie exploring her local bookstores, spending time with her husband, or sharing her latest literary discoveries with fellow book enthusiasts.

MCLEAN, VA, and CHICAGO — Mars, Inc. announced that the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has concluded its antitrust review of its pending acquisition of Kellanova, a global snacking company.

“We are very pleased that the FTC has completed its review of the transaction without the imposition of any condition or requiring any remedy,” said Poul Weihrauch, CEO of Mars. “This brings us one step closer to uniting two iconic businesses with complementary footprints and portfolios, allowing us to deliver more choice and innovation to consumers.”

“We believe this is an exciting opportunity to create a broader, global snacking business that is better positioned to meet evolving consumer needs and preferences.” — Steve Cahillane | president and CEO | Kellanova

The transaction has received all but one of the 28 required regulatory clearances, with only the European Commission’s review outstanding. Based on the current status of the review, both companies expect the transaction to close toward the end of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

“This represents a significant milestone on our path to combine Mars Snacking and Kellanova,” said Steve Cahillane, president and CEO of Kellanova. “We believe this is an exciting opportunity to create a broader, global snacking business that is better positioned to meet evolving consumer needs and preferences.”

The acquisition was originally reported in the Wall Street Journal in August 2024, valuing Kellanova at approximately $30 billion and marking it one of the year’s biggest merger and acquisition transactions.

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