Mars Drinks announces that all of its Alterra brand coffees now 100% independently certified by either Rainforest Alliance or UTZ

Nevin Barich

WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania , April 24, 2014 (press release) – “Mars Drinks’ Impact on Earth” Campaign Highlights Sustainability Efforts

Mars Drinks, a business unit of Mars, Incorporated and maker of FLAVIA® Brewers, ALTERRA® Coffee Roasters, THE BRIGHT TEA CO® tea and GALAXY® hot chocolate, announced today that all of its ALTERRA® coffees are now 100% independently certified by either the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ or UTZ Certified. Previously only select offerings had earned the Rainforest Alliance seal.

The 100% independently certified coffees are already available in the UK and Mars Drinks, headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA, is working diligently to honor its commitment of sourcing 100% certified coffee and reach that same threshold in the U.S.

A new campaign, “Mars Drinks’ Impact on Earth” showcases Mars Drinks’ efforts to source its coffee beans in a sustainable manner. This includes the commitment that the coffee sourced by the company is responsibly produced, with respect for the environment and the workers in the supply chain.

“Sustainability is no longer optional for us. We need to open our eyes to what needs to be done to protect the planet for future generations. Our customers are asking us to evolve and to become more sustainable,” said Xavier Unkovic, President, Mars Drinks. “I am a strong believer that today, corporations have the power and the responsibility to bring about change, and we at Mars Drinks are committed to pioneering in this area. Sustainability is not only good for the planet, it drives business performance,”

The “Mars Drinks’ Impact on Earth” campaign will highlight the positive effects that sustainable practices can have on the lives of farmers and their families and the environment, and the impact for consumers.

On its new website, Mars Drinks will feature a video illustrating the journey of the coffee bean from its origin in Columbia, Sumatra, Ethiopia or elsewhere; photos and clips of real farmers’ hand harvesting each bean from independently certified farms; and the difference sustainability makes in the working conditions and wages of farm hands and other workers along the supply chain.

To learn more about ALTERRA® Coffee Roasters visit www.alterracoffee.co.uk. To hear more about Mars Drinks’ commitment to sustainability, visit http://marsdrinks.com/sustainability. To speak with someone directly, contact: Suzan French, 917-284-8523, sfrench@msco.com. To learn more about the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ or UTZ Certified, visit http://www.rainforest-alliance.org or https://www.utzcertified.org.

About Mars Drinks

Mars Drinks creates great tasting moments at work by being at the center of workplace engagement, collaboration, productivity and well-being. Throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Mars Drinks supports businesses who want to provide great working environments for their people. Part of Mars, Incorporated Mars Drinks focuses its energy and resources on the workplace, with the belief that people are the most important asset to any business. In 1973 Mars Drinks introduced KLIX® the first-ever fully automatic in-cup drinks vending machine that serves large manufacturing channels across Europe. In 1984 Mars Drinks pioneered the single serve hot drinks category, introducing FLAVIA®, the first system for making hot drinks using fresh ground coffee and leaf teas sealed in individual servings. Through its ALTERRA® Coffee Roasters coffees, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.® teas, and DOVE®/GALAXY® Hot Chocolate Mars Drinks creates billions of great tasting moments at work! Find Mars Drinks online at www.marsdrinks.com.

About Mars, Incorporated

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA™ and WISDOM PANEL™.

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