Mars Chocolate vs. Hershey: Story Behind Their Differences

Mars and Hershey have been rivals for years, and many people have been interested in their differences in order to understand the story behind their long-lasting rivalry. In order to acknowledge their differences better, it is important to dig deeper into their stories, so you would have a clear image of what is actually going on. So, what are the main differences between Mars Chocolate and Hershey? 

Mars and Hershey are the biggest chocolate manufacturers in the US. Hershey has always been in a higher place holding 43% of the market share, but Mars imposes a big challenge to Hershey. However, consumers like more Marse chocolates since they are sweet, and Hershey’s are often described as sour.

The rivalry between Hershey and Mars has been one of the most interesting on the chocolate market. I will elaborate on the main differences between these two chocolate manufacturers in terms of market share and net worth. I will also provide some information on the history of Mars and Hershey, so you would get a better idea of what has caused these two chocolate manufacturers to become the biggest enemies.

Mars Chocolate vs. Hershey: Differences 

When two manufacturers are at war, it is logical to think that they are offering the same product to the public, or at least a similar one. In the case of Mars and Hershey it can be said that they are offering slightly different products but in the quite same sizes and packages, so people would easily notice that they are trying to beat one another. 

Mars and Hershey are indeed separate companies considering the fact that Mars produces its chocolate outside the US, while Hershey is one of the first chocolate companies in the regions across the US. However, if you have come across the question if they are actually the same company, it is not accidental since there is a reasonable explanation for this kind of assumption. 

Namely, this debatable question comes from the time when Mars and Hershey were partners. This was in the 1930s, however, after that, they have decided to split up. Their partnership did not mean that they are the same company, but this notion has caused people across the world to believe so, especially with similar types of chocolates and products.

Although Hershey has been the leading figure on the chocolate market, Mars Chocolate imposes a great challenge to the company, so they cannot put their guard down even for a minute. 

In order to understand the dispute between these two chocolate companies, you also have to understand what they have in common, and what features they possess are different. Therefore, I have listed some of the things that make them close one to another, yet still somehow different. 

Firstly, Mars and Hershey are the most popular producers of small-size chocolates across the US. However, Hershey seems to always reach the top first place in sales, while Mars stays one step behind them. In other words, although they are the biggest providers of small-size chocolates, Hershey always finds a way to stay higher on the rank list. 

In addition, when it comes to rankings, Hershey is at 42nd place in the list of Global Top 100 Brands, while Mars is at 61st. [1] This is another factor that points out that Hershey is still the leading power in the chocolate industry, even though Mars is not an easy competitor. What is more, there were times when Mars was really close to reaching a higher place than Hershey. 

However, when it comes to quality and taste, Mars might be the better choice. According to consumers, Mars produces better and sweeter chocolate, while Hershey is somehow chalky and sour. Mars is not produced in the US, therefore, they use different ingredients than those of Hershey, so it is understandable that the taste would be quite different. 

Nonetheless, it is important to point out that the better taste of Mars has been claimed by the consumers. This means that no additional research has been conducted in order to have some proof of the quality of the chocolate of both companies. 

Who Is Bigger? 

If you want to have a clearer picture of the two companies, you might wonder which one is bigger. When you determine the market share of both chocolate companies, it is easier to understand which company is more successful. Although people claim that Mars chocolate is more delicious than Hershey’s, the statistics show something else, and numbers usually do not lie. 

Therefore, Hershey is known to have the biggest market share of 43.3% in the confectionery market, but Mars does not seem so bad as well. In other words, Mars is just behind Hershey with 29.8% of the market share. That is why Mars is regarded as a challenging opponent to Hershey, and hence the reason for the long-lasting rivalry. 

Net Worth

The net worth is quite an adequate determiner if you want to see which company is bigger. Therefore, according to statistics, the net worth of Hershey is $140 billion annually, while the net worth of Mars is $94 billion. According to these numbers, it can be seen that Hershey is quite bigger, i.e. quite richer than Mars. 

Does Mars Make Their Own Chocolate? 

While it is certain the Mars has been Hershey’s customer for a long time, this does not mean that Hershey produces Mars products. As I mentioned above, they have been partners, but they have produced their chocolate separately. 

In fact, Mars produces its chocolate outside the US, while Hershey uses all-natural ingredients that come from local American regions. 

History Of Hershey And Mars

The history of Hershey and Mars goes way back, and it is commonly known as the war of chocolate companies. [2] They have been the leading chocolate figures in this industry, in which Hershey has been in an advantageous position. However, Mars has never determined to back off from this rivalry, so it is still one tough and challenging rival to Hershey. 

Both companies were in a sort of partnership in the 1930s, but they have come to a separation. After that, Mars has claimed that they will beat Hershey on the chocolate market, and they have still not given up on the idea. Even though Hershey has been in first place considering the market share, they cannot really put their guard off since Mars continues to impose certain challenges on it.

There have been ups and downs for Hershey when it comes to prices and sales, and Mars has always used these circumstances. Therefore, Hershey can never fully relax when it comes to such as rival like Mars. 

As you can see, the rivalry between Mars and Hershey is quite serious, so it would be wrong to assume that they are the same company. Although they have their differences, especially in the market shares and net worth, they are still quite close in relation to the quality of the chocolate they sell.