Forrest Mars Sr.'s business philosophy

Direct quotes attributed to Forrest Sr., founder of Mar, Inc:

• Regarding his sons' ability to manage Mars, Inc., he said, "They think they can't run it into the ground, but they can."
• Reflecting on his early experiences in England, Forrest Sr. stated, "Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy."
• Summarising his primary motivation in business, he declared, "I'm not a candy maker. I'm empire-minded."
• About the importance of a good product and profit, he believed that "if you make a really good product that people want and are willing to pay for, money will come." He added, "And it is best not to think about how much money you will make."
• In his only interview, given in 1966, discussing the possibility of Mars, Inc. becoming a public company, he said, "Who can tell? There is no need for it today."
• In the same interview, regarding supporting managers, he stated, "We give them every opportunity to make it. Give them all the help they need. And, of course, full authority and responsibility. No one wants to see anyone fail. One of the greatest satisfactions is to see a person succeed—to accomplish what he sets out to do."
• Explaining his management philosophy, Forrest Sr.'s "leitmotif" was "Profit is our single objective."
• When ordering his son John to pray during a meeting, he said, "We should be thankful to God that we have all these people thinking about our business." He then instructed, "John, get down on your knees and pray."
• Discussing his preference for simple businesses for global expansion, he said, "The only big business has got to be an international business. Mars is going to be in Russia some day. We’ll be in China. You need simple businesses if you wish to go for the world . . . candy bars are probably the easiest way to start."
• Reflecting on giving the company to his children, he reportedly said he would "never do it again. Not turn it over to his kids, anyway".
• In a videotape for the family archives, Forrest Sr. said he gave his father the idea for the Milky Way, stating, "'I had empire in my mind,' Forrest declares in the only recorded account of the Mars company’s beginnings. 'Simple businesses, that’s what you need, if you wish to go for the world.'"
• Regarding Frank Mars's Minneapolis success with butter creams, Forrest Sr. is quoted as referring to his father as "that miserable failure".
• Explaining his desire to pursue mining, Forrest Sr. said, "I figured I’d mix some elements together and make some new metal or something. It didn’t look too hard."
• Describing his reason for pursuing business, Forrest Sr. mused, "Why do I want to go on? I want to go on because I gamble. . . . The word challenge isn’t too good a word for it. I think it’s better to say the truth: I like the tension." He further elaborated with a fishing analogy: "It’s like telling you I like to fish because I like that tug. It isn’t how big the fish is that matters, it’s that tug before you get it up. That’s the most exciting time."
• Explaining his focus beyond just candy making, Forrest Sr. stated, "'I’m not a candy maker. I’m empire-minded.' And it is in the factory in Slough that he began to prove it."
• Reflecting on the importance of being first in the market, Forrest Sr. told his accountant David Brown, "You gotta get in on the ground level. If you ain’t first, why bother."
• During a tour, a plant manager recalled Forrest Sr. saying about the quality of the chocolate bar, "My son is gonna rip this open and put it in his mouth so fast he won’t even see the end. But that doesn’t matter. It’s my job to make sure that if he does look, all he sees is smooth chocolate."
• Regarding his approach to resource allocation, Charles Kaufman recalled Forrest Sr. saying, "If you earned more than he wanted—or less than he wanted—then you weren’t using his assets effectively, and he would have you canned."
• Describing the Mars brothers' work ethic, Forrest Jr. quoted his father's sentiment: "They think they can't run it into the ground, but they can."
• Describing his father Frank Mars's initial candy-making efforts, Forrest Sr. recounted, "My father was making butter creams in Minneapolis and bankrupting himself." He further elaborated, "He was a miserable failure until he was thirty-five years old."
• On the topic of advertising and its importance, Forrest Sr. stated, "Advertising builds friendly relations with the consumer."
• Recalling a piece of advice he gave to his father about the location of their candy business, Forrest Sr. claimed, "I told my dad, 'The freight rate in Chicago is half that of Minneapolis . . . with this rate, we can really make some money.'"
• When discussing his desire to keep the company focused, especially early on, Forrest Sr. said he told his father, who wanted to broaden the product line, "but I told him to keep it simple."
• Reflecting on his motivation for business ventures, Forrest Sr. explained, "Why do I want to go on? I want to go on because I gamble. . . . The word challenge isn’t too good a word for it. I think it’s better to say the truth: I like the tension." He further elaborated with an analogy, "It’s like telling you I like to fish because I like that tug. It isn’t how big the fish is that matters, it’s that tug before you get it up. That’s the most exciting time."
• During his time in England, when facing potential tax issues, Forrest Sr. is quoted as saying, "They wanted to shut me down. And the war gave them the perfect opportunity."
• When meeting William Murrie to propose a partnership for M&M's, Forrest Sr. dismissively commented on Bruce Murrie's potential Wall Street connections, saying, "That’s a waste. He won’t learn a thing from those Wall Street types. They’re nothing but flash."
• Continuing this line of thought with Murrie, Forrest Sr. asserted his belief in the importance of product knowledge, quoting his father: "As my dad always said, you ain’t worth nothing unless you understand product. Those Wall Street boys, they don’t know a thing about product. They’re playing a numbers game, and hell, anybody who can add and subtract can do that."
• Explaining the concept of adding value to existing products, Forrest Sr. would lecture his associates, "There’s nothing new in a Milky Way. Before Mars came along, there was caramel, there was nougat and there was chocolate. So why does a Milky Way sell? Added value. You take what’s out there and use it in a new way. You add value to existing products, and you make a profit."
• Emphasising the need for speed in getting products to market, Forrest Sr. would exclaim, referring to his candies, "Get ’em out there, they ain’t worth a dime sittin’ in my factory."
• Regarding the importance of even seemingly insignificant details in product quality, a plant manager recalled Forrest Sr. saying about a Mars bar, "My son is gonna rip this open and put it in his mouth so fast he won’t even see the end. But that doesn’t matter. It’s my job to make sure that if he does look, all he sees is smooth chocolate."
• When addressing a group of factory workers in the Netherlands about hygiene, Forrest Sr. reportedly berated them, "You filthy Dutchmen! You must all take a shower."
• Reflecting on the potential future of Mars, Inc., and drawing a comparison with another major company, Forrest Sr. noted, "Look how Hershey has changed over the years since becoming a public company. If Mr. Hershey were alive today he would be amazed at what is taking place. His company is public, it has grown considerably, it is moving in different directions, and more and more it is being managed by professional managers. If there is a need for it, we might do it."
• On the topic of retirement, Forrest Sr. declared, "Retirement is the beginning of death."

Direct quotes attributed to Forrest Jr. and John Mars:

Forrest Jr.:

• Reflecting on his and his brother's belief in their role relative to their employees, Forrest Jr. stated in a public speech, "My brother and I believe we work for our associates, and not the other way around".
• He further elaborated on the concept of responsibility within the company, "We are responsible to our associates, for without them there would be no Mars. In fact, my brother and I believe we work for our associates, and not the other way around".
• Describing his father's demanding nature and how he made his children aware if he disliked their work, "If he didn’t like their work, he made sure they knew it". While this is a description of Forrest Sr.'s actions, it reflects the environment Forrest Jr. operated in.
• When an associate dared to take a phone call while Forrest Jr. wanted his attention, Forrest Jr. reportedly shouted, "When the boss speaks to you, you drop the phone".
• Forrest Jr., along with John, patterned their own behaviour on their father's. This included instances of embarrassing and countermanding professional managers, mirroring how Forrest Sr. had treated them.
• When Forrest Jr. heard a complaint about body odour among the local workers at his post in the Netherlands, he had all hands summoned to the cafeteria and berated them. While the exact words aren't provided, this action demonstrates his direct and potentially harsh management style.
• Forrest Jr. and John dreaded the prospect of Mars becoming a public company, fearing they would become accountable to outside shareholders. This highlights their desire to maintain the private and closely controlled nature of the business.
• It is stated that Forrest Jr. and John wanted the same authority their father had: the last word on any decision. This underscores their commitment to centralised control within the company.
• Regarding the peanut butter M&M's, marketing executives reported that the brothers continued to be hyper-critical of its performance, even ten years after its launch. This indicates their high standards and continued scrutiny of even established products.

John Mars:

• Expressing his and his brother's philosophy regarding new product development, John pointed out that most new products fail, and given that, "his strategy was not to develop any new products!".
• When discussing Mars's corporate culture, John stated, "Obviously, our corporate culture is not for everyone. But it’s what keeps us alive".
• Trying to explain his lifelong dedication to the family business, John asked rhetorically, "I had to do something, didn’t I? I mean, in my day, if you wanted to earn a living, you had to get a job. There was no discussion—none of this 'I’m going to live off my parents' that kids have nowadays. You’d be locked out of the house if that’s the way you wanted it." He concluded, "This job was as good as any, I suppose," his tone described as matter-of-fact.
• When questioned about making a living without working, John remarked sharply, "If you've figured out a way to make a living without working. I'd certainly like to know". This statement highlights their perceived work ethic despite their wealth.
• Similar to his brother, John Mars also dreaded the prospect of Mars becoming a public company, indicating a shared value in maintaining the company's private status and their personal authority.
• How both John and Forrest Jr. are distant to others in the [confectionery] industry, preferring to focus on their own business rather than participating in outside industry events. This suggests a level of insularity and a primary focus on internal Mars operations.
• Neither John Mars nor Forrest Jr. shared the point of view of some industry figures who saw value in supporting the confectionery industry and networking. This further emphasises their detached stance from the broader industry.
• The responsibility of inheriting their father's company was "thrust upon them by birth, and it haunts them to this day". While not a direct quote, this reported sentiment reveals a potentially burdensome aspect of their roles.
• The fact that John Mars had never even read Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory suggests a perhaps surprisingly pragmatic or detached view of the candy industry, despite being at the helm of one of its largest companies.