Mars Wrigley focuses on infrastructure upgrades at Antipolo factory, sustainability efforts

Mars Wrigley, the world’s leading manufacturer of chocolate, chewing gum, mints, and fruity confections, has allocated $2 million over the next three years to further improve the operations of its Antipolo City factory.

The snacking company, which established operations in the Philippines in 1965, said the amount would be used to continuously upgrade infrastructure, packaging, and machinery to meet customer demand, as well as improve facilities that support employee well-being. 

Mars Wrigley also aims to shift to 100% renewable thermal energy by installing a biomass boiler in 2024, which will help the plant make progress toward its net zero ambition by 2050. 

The $1 million investment in the biomass boiler has already decreased the plant’s annual carbon emissions by around 679 tons. This allowed the Antipolo factory to switch from using diesel as its thermal energy source to rice husk as a renewable energy source.

The biomass boiler sources its fuel from rice husks or coconut shells collected from the farmers of nearby communities.

‘’We believe that by making our daily operations more sustainable, our customers and consumers can enjoy our products knowing they are made with the environment in mind,” said Salazar Maquito, factory director, Mars Wrigley Antipolo.

The Antipolo facility produces well-known chewing gum brands such as Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, and Cool Air.

Up to 30 metric tons of chewing gum products are manufactured daily, with 86% exported to countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Laos, and Brunei. —VBL, GMA Integrated News