Mars cut the ribbon on a new R&D Innovation Studio at its Hackettstown, N.J., facility, according to a company release. The new studio represents an investment of more than $70 million and includes a new prototyping kitchen, packaging lab and collaboration space, all intended to increase the speed at which the company innovates and develops new products.
The investment also allowed for improvements to manufacturing efficiency and food safety advancements at the Hackettstown processing plant, the release noted. Investments began in 2023 and support the company’s commitment to quality and food safety with the addition of a new, state-of-the-art chocolate production facility.
The updated packaging studio is expected to allow for development and testing of sustainable packaging materials in support of Mars’ sustainability goals.
Mars noted it has been part of the Hackettstown community since 1958, and the R&D Innovation Studio there follows the January grand opening of Mars Snacking Research and Development Hub in Chicago, a $42 million investment in that side of the business.
