Who owns Milky Way?
Milky Way is owned by Mars (the United States).[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
- Owner HQ
- 🇺🇸 United States, McLean, Virginia
- Origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Founded
- 1923
- Category
- Food › Confectionery › Chocolate
- Trademark registrant
- Mars, Incorporated (USPTO)
- Last verified
- · 2 sources
About Milky Way
Milky Way was launched in the United States in 1923 and named after a malted milkshake rather than the galaxy. The American and European bars have different recipes: the European Milky Way is closer to the American 3 Musketeers, while the American Milky Way resembles the European Mars bar.
Trademark record for Milky Way
The USPTO record for the Milky Way mark lists Mars, Incorporated as the owner of record (serial number 73250889). That name matches the owner named above.[2]
Ownership timeline of Milky Way
Where Milky Way 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
- Altoids (1780)
- 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)
Founded in the 1920s
- Nutro (1926)
Other brands in chocolate, and who owns them
Mars has more brands in chocolate on Brandtree than any other owner: 9 of 131.
| Brand | Owner | Owner based in |
|---|---|---|
| Cadbury | Mondelēz | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Danusia | Wawel | 🇵🇱 Poland |
| Elizabeth Shaw | Colian | 🇵🇱 Poland |
| Baby Ruth | Ferrero | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Almond Joy | Hershey | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Caffarel | Lindt & Sprüngli | 🇨🇭 Switzerland |
| Eitt Sett | Nói Síríus | 🇮🇸 Iceland |
| Águila | Arcor | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
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.
🇺🇸 Milky Way and other American brands
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 2,549 brands that began in the United States. 478 of them (19%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country; Milky Way is not one of them.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Milky Way?
The parent company of Milky Way is Mars, a family-owned company headquartered in the United States.
Is Milky Way American?
Yes. Milky Way originated in the United States in 1923 and its owner, Mars, is also headquartered in the United States.
Is Milky Way still owned by Mars?
Yes. As of 27 September 2026, Milky Way 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: MILKY WAY, serial 73250889 — United States Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark registry; retrieved 27 September 2026.
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