Mars, whose Snackfood division makes M&Ms, Mars candy bars, and other candy brands, wanted the opening of the newly renovated Dove Chocolate Center of Excellence in Elizabethtown, PA, an expansion with a $70 million price tag, to be a major event.

“It was important because it was furthering our commitment [in the US] to manufacturing in the local cities that we've been invested in for decades and furthering our commitment [to] the premium chocolate category, [which] is growing ...