United States 400 Valley Road Mount Arlington, NJ 07856 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: John Capizzi Mars Retail Group 215.913.2277 [email protected] Karen Haggerty PinPoint Communications 770.579.9897 [email protected] MARS RETAIL GROUP SIGNS LICENSEE MAD ENGINE TO PRODUCE APPAREL FEATURING M&M’S AND SKITTLES® BRANDS Wide Range of Apparel Now Available for Retail Buyers MOUNT ARLINGTON, N.J. (March 27, 2014) – Mars Retail Group today announced it signed Mad Engine Inc. as a new licensee to produce a wide range of apparel that will express the colorful fun of the M&M’S® and SKITTLES® Brands. Available at a variety of price points, the unique items for men, women and teens will include long- and short-sleeve t-shirts, fashion knit tops, outerwear, fleece and hoodies. Retailers can place orders in spring 2014 for distribution across the United States. For retailers, the new apparel can serve as an attention-grabbing focal point in a Back-toCollege endcap or a Holiday display. Mars Retail Group specializes in bringing Colorful Chocolate Fun to life in new and different ways, allowing customers and consumers to experience the thrill and excitement of its trademark M&M’S World® locations, a taste of which is now available in everyday retail stores. “Retailers are looking for strategic ways to gain shopper interest and increase sales, and we know that a display incorporating M&M’S® Brand Candies and licensed merchandise will boost sales while adding excitement to the aisle,” explains John Capizzi, general manager of licensing for Mars Retail Group. “We’re proud to offer retailers quality apparel from industry leader Mad Engine. Pairing their quality and ingenuity with the strength of Mars’ iconic brands, we’ll deliver strong results to retailers looking to offer a unique shopping experience.” One of the leading licensed apparel wholesalers in the world, Mad Engine has an impressive licensing roster of major brands, including Lucasfilm, Marvel and Disney. “Whether you’re a teenager or an adult, wearing shirts and outerwear emblazoned with your favorite brands is a popular fashion style,” says Carolyn Foreman, vice president of licensing for Mad Engine Inc. “We’re thrilled to partner with Mars Retail Group and offer apparel illustrating iconic brands like SKITTLES® and M&M’S® Brands.” Retailers who want to offer Mars Brand items can contact Kim Saggio at (513) 702-1248, and companies interested in becoming MRG licensees should contact Gail Martin at (973) 3982488. - more - New Licensee to Produce Apparel for M&M’S® and SKITTLES® Brands 2-2-2-2 Founded in1987, Mad Engine Inc. is based in San Diego County, Calif. In addition to working with major retailers, Mad Engine maintains inventory of more than 230 items to service the just-in-time deliveries for smaller store chains and boutique sales. With an in-house art staff of over 25 skilled artists, Mad Engine creates custom designs that cater to a wide array of audiences. A merchandising team works with retailers to develop POS displays, from pallets and trays to tables and rounders. For more information visit www.madengine.com. About Mars Retail Group Headquartered in Mount Arlington, New Jersey, U.S., the Mars Retail Group (MRG) creates and builds retail businesses that build the brands of Mars, Incorporated. The iconic M&M’S World® stores, located in New York City, Las Vegas, Orlando, and London, currently represent Mars’ largest retail business. MRG also operates the company’s Licensing and MY M&M’S® businesses, as well as the gourmet chocolate business that is sold under the ETHEL M® Brand name. Mars Retail Group is a division of Mars, Incorporated. In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 74,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance. Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food – UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA™ and WISDOM PANEL™. For more information, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars ###