AcquiredDecember 16, 2024

Mars Inc. (the chocolate story)

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Audio URL: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/media.transistor.fm/65646a4e/4312fe62.mp3

About This Episode

M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Double Mint, Ben’s Rice, Pedigree, Whiskas, VCA, Banfield… all the brands you know, owned by the company you know nothing about: Mars, Incorporated. And Mars itself is 100% owned and deeply intertwined with the Mars family, who are currently the second wealthiest (and perhaps first most secretive!) family in the United States. Tune in for one of the 20th century’s most incredible entrepreneurial stories across candy and pet care, and one that’s all the more incredible because it’s so little-known!

Book Mentions

6 book mentions in this episode.

Jump to books

Tip: Click “Mentioned at …” to copy a timestamp.

Tip: Click a cover image to open a book link.

Books Mentioned

Chocolate Wars

Deborah Cadbury

“Deborah Cadbury wrote this book called Chocolate Wars, which provides a great primer on the history of the chocolate industry.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: history of chocolate industry

For: Anyone interested in the history of food or chocolate enthusiasts.

Key quote: “It was this great primer on the history of the chocolate industry to learn all this.”

The host mentioned 'Chocolate Wars' by Deborah Cadbury as a valuable resource for understanding the history of the chocolate industry. The book provides insights into the challenges and innovations that shaped chocolate production, particularly the development of milk chocolate.

ASIN: 000732555X

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Noah's flood wouldn't have deterred Forrest Mars

Deborah Cadbury

“Deborah Cadbury has a good line in her book, Noah's flood wouldn't have deterred Forrest Mars.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: Forrest Mars's entrepreneurial journey

For: Readers interested in entrepreneurship and business history

Key quote: “Deborah Cadbury has a good line in her book, Noah's flood wouldn't have deterred Forrest Mars.”

The host mentions Deborah Cadbury's book to highlight the resilience and determination of Forrest Mars in his early life. The quote illustrates Mars's tenacity, suggesting that nothing could deter him from his ambitions.

ASIN: N/A

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Higher Control in Management

T.G. Rose

“Forrest reads a textbook called Higher Control in Management by T.G. Rose, which argues that the primary focus of management should not be on revenue or profit but on return on total assets.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: business management literature

For: business students and management professionals

Key quote: “In the book, though, Rose argues that the primary focus of management should not be on revenue or profit or growth, but instead on a metric called return on total assets or ROTA.”

The host discusses the significance of the book 'Higher Control in Management' by T.G. Rose, highlighting its focus on return on total assets (ROTA) as a key management metric. This perspective contrasts with traditional focuses on revenue and profit, emphasizing a more efficient use of assets in business management.

ASIN: N/A

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Seven Powers

Hamilton Helmer

“The segment is based on Hamilton Helmer's excellent Seven Powers book and framework, which outlines seven ways a business can sustainably generate significantly more profit than its competitors.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: business analysis framework

For: Business analysts and entrepreneurs

Key quote: “the idea is that there are seven ways that a business can sustainably generate significantly more profit than its closest competitors.”

The host mentions 'Seven Powers' to introduce a framework for understanding how businesses can achieve sustainable profit advantages. They specifically highlight the concept of scale economies as a key factor in business success, which is a central theme in Helmer's book.

ASIN: 7521752929

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Wool

“I did read the book and the book is excellent. You read Wool? I read Wool. Yep.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Silo season two

For: Fans of dystopian fiction and television adaptations

Key quote: “I did read the book and the book is excellent.”

The host mentioned 'Wool' as a reference to the source material for the show 'Silo,' highlighting its quality. They expressed enthusiasm about the book and its adaptation, suggesting it maintains momentum across seasons.

ASIN: N/A

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Emperors of Chocolate

Joelle Glenn Brenner

“One, for just writing the book. We read a lot of business books, business histories here on Acquired. And Emperors of Chocolate is one of the greats.”

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Mars family history

For: Anyone interested in corporate history and the candy industry

Key quote: “I have to say a thank you to Joelle Glenn Brenner, who wrote the amazing book, Emperors of Chocolate.”

The host mentions 'Emperors of Chocolate' to highlight the unique access the author had to the Mars family, which is known for being incredibly private. This book provides an in-depth look at the history and operations of one of the largest private companies in America.

ASIN: 0679421904

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