Mars' Purchase of Kellanova Overcomes U.S. Regulatory Obstacles
Mars-Kellogg Deal Hits a Roadblock in EU Regulatory Review
The anticipated acquisition of Kellogg Company (now known as Kellanova) by Mars Inc. for approximately $35.9 billion is currently on hold due to regulatory review issues in the European Union.
The European Commission has paused its antitrust review as of early August 2025, citing the absence of critical information from the merging parties. This delay has pushed back the previously expected regulatory approval timeline, which was initially targeting October 2025.
However, the acquisition has received approval in the United States, and it is progressing elsewhere. Despite this, the EU's regulatory scrutiny remains a key bottleneck, casting doubt on the overall deal timeline until the requested data is submitted and evaluated by Mars and Kellanova.
In a statement, Poul Weihrauch, Mars President and CEO, confirmed that the transaction has now received all but one of the 28 required regulatory clearances, with only the review by the European Commission outstanding. No new expected closure date has been formally announced due to this pause.
Once the acquisition is complete, Kellanova will become part of Mars Snacking, headed by Global President Andrew Clarke and based in Chicago. Steve Cahillane, the CEO of Kellanova, has expressed excitement about the deal, stating that it represents a significant milestone on the path to combine Mars Snacking and Kellanova.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Circana has released a list of 2024 New Product Pacesetters in food and nonfood categories. Bold new flavors and innovative twists on classics are taking the candy and snacks categories by storm, signaling a promising future for the industry despite the current regulatory challenges facing the Mars-Kellogg deal.
[1] Mars-Kellogg deal delayed due to EU review
[2] Mars-Kellogg deal faces delay as EU antitrust review paused
[3] Mars-Kellogg deal: what does it mean for the snacks industry?
[4] Mars-Kellogg deal: what we know so far
- The Mars-Kellogg deal faces delay as the EU antitrust review has been paused, citing the absence of critical information from the merging parties.
- The regulatory review issues in the European Union have put the Mars-Kellogg deal on hold, casting doubt on the overall deal timeline until the requested data is submitted and evaluated by Mars and Kellanova.
