Who owns Altoids?
Altoids is owned by Mars (the United States), which acquired the brand on 6 October 2008 from Wrigley, as part of a $23 billion deal that also included Extra, Orbit and 2 others.[1]
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
Evidence: Mars, Incorporated — our brands. Last checked .
Key facts
- Current owner
- Mars, Incorporated reported
- Owned since
- Owner HQ
- 🇺🇸 United States, McLean, Virginia
- Origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1780
- Category
- Food › Confectionery › Gum & mints
- Trademark registrant
- Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (USPTO)
- Last verified
- · 2 sources
About Altoids
Altoids are strong peppermints sold in a hinged tin, made in Britain since around 1780 and marketed in the United States as curiously strong. Mars acquired the brand with Wrigley in 2008, and the tins are widely reused for other purposes.
Trademark record for Altoids
The USPTO record for the Altoids mark lists Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company as the owner of record (serial number 79030913). A trademark is often held by a group company rather than the listed parent, so the registrant's name can differ from the owner named above.[2]
Ownership timeline of Altoids
- 2008 – present Mars — acquired 6 October 2008 [1] reported
Where Altoids sits in Mars
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
- Kellanova · 10 brands
Open the full Mars ownership tree →
See the full Mars brand portfolio (42) →
Other brands owned by Mars
Mars controls 42 brands on Brandtree, 31 of them in food.
Also in food
- Ben's Original (1943)
- Bounty (1951)
- Celebrations (1997)
- Cheez-It (1921)
- Combos (1976)
- Crunchy Nut (1980)
- Dolmio (1985)
- Eggo (1953)
- Extra (1984)
- Extra (1993)
- Galaxy (1960)
- Juicy Fruit (1893)
- KIND (2004)
- Life Savers (1912)
- M&M's (1941)
- Maltesers (1937)
- Mars (1932)
- Milky Way (1923)
Other brands in gum & mints, and who owns them
Mars has more brands in gum & mints on Brandtree than any other owner: 5 of 22.
| Brand | Owner | Owner based in |
|---|---|---|
| Menthoplus | Arcor | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
| Läkerol | Cloetta | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
| Fresh | Kenafric | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
| Dubble Bubble | Tootsie Roll | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Tic Tac | Ferrero | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Biodent | Golrang Industrial Group | 🇮🇷 Iran |
| Ice Breakers | Hershey | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Lotte Xylitol | Lotte | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
About the owner: Mars
Mars is a family-owned company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, United States, founded in 1911. Brandtree records 42 brands under its control.
Mars is one of the largest privately held companies in the world, owned by the Mars family since Frank Mars began making sweets in Tacoma in 1911. It publishes no financial statements. Its four segments are snacking, pet nutrition, food and Mars Wrigley, and it agreed to acquire Kellanova in 2024.
🇬🇧 Altoids and other British brands
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 552 brands that began in the United Kingdom. 291 of them (53%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country, Altoids among them.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Altoids?
The parent company of Altoids is Mars, a family-owned company headquartered in the United States.
Is Altoids British or American?
Altoids originated in the United Kingdom in 1780, but it is owned today by Mars, which is headquartered in the United States. So Altoids is a British-origin brand under American ownership.
When did Mars buy Altoids?
Mars completed its acquisition of Altoids on 6 October 2008, after announcing the deal on 28 April 2008. The deal, which also included Extra and Orbit and 2 others, was valued at $23 billion.
Is Altoids still owned by Mars?
Yes. As of 27 September 2026, Altoids is still owned by Mars. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (2) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
- [1] Mars, Incorporated — our brands — Mars, Incorporated, Official document; retrieved 16 September 2026.
- [2] USPTO: ALTOIDS, serial 79030913 — United States Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark registry; retrieved 27 September 2026.
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