Blas Maquivar, who has been Mars Inc.’s president of global emerging markets, was promoted to global president-health & wellness in the Mars snacking business. It’s also indicative of increased ambitions for that Mars business unit.
Maquivar will oversee the company’s expanding health & wellness portfolio, which includes brands Nature’s Bakery, Trü Frü and Kind -- the last of which has expanded to 30 global markets outside of the U.S. and Canada since Mars took full ownership in 2020.
Maquivar joined Mars in 2010 as general manager of Mars Chocolate Mexico. He then served in several senior leadership roles across the snacking business.
Gabriel Fernandez, general manager of Mars Wrigley Mexico, will succeed Maquivar. Fernandez has been with Mars since 2005 and has held regional and corporate leadership roles in Latin America, Europe and North America.
“As part of its vision to transform the snacking category and embrace shifting consumer needs and preferences, Mars has expanded the foothold of its Health & Wellness division within the permissible snacking category in the last several years,” the company wrote. “Under Maquivar’s leadership, the Health & Wellness division will continue to nurture and globally scale its existing brands while remaining an attractive destination for founder-led brands.
“This all comes in service of the company’s greater ambition to double its snacking business and grow revenue to $36 billion within the next decade.”
Since joining Mars, Trü Frü and Nature’s Bakery also have flourished. Nature’s Bakery’s sales have grown 78% since the 2020 acquisition and the brand is on pace in 2024 to be more than double its size since it was bought. Following Mars’ 2023 acquisition of Trü Frü, the brand’s sales grew by more 50% that same year, with Q1 2024 net sales up 80% versus Q1 2023.
