Mars Retail Group Announces Expansion Plans for M&M'S® Stores in the U.S. and Abroad

MOUNT ARLINGTON, N.J., Jan. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the next two years, Mars Retail Group will accelerate its vision to provide inspiring and immersive consumer experiences to audiences around the world by opening doors to three new retail locations. These include Disney Springs® in Orlando, Fla., Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minn. and the first store in continental Europe in Berlin, Germany.

As one of the world's most beloved brands, these strategic investments will ensure people across the globe can experience the M&M'S Brand in an unparalleled way by prioritizing high-traffic areas that align with the brand's bold, colorful identity. Each store will celebrate the culture and spirit of the local community both in design and merchandise. Consumers will find classic M&M'S experiential storemoments such as the iconic Wall of Chocolate, larger than life Characters moments, and a personalization experience that enables guests to create their very own custom M&M'S candies to take back with them. In addition, the store will offer new interactive features designed to engage and share.

"Our aspiration will always be to bring the best of the M&M'S Brand experience to our consumers in each retail location," said Patrick McIntyre, Director of Global Retail at Mars Retail Group. "Our new stores are advancing in design and experience to create a true connection and commitment to place alongside exciting digital and analog moments. We are bringing the brand to life in an immersive way."

Following is an overview of the three new M&M'S retail stores:

• The expansion will commence with the relocation of the existing M&M'S experiential store in Orlando, Fla., to Disney Springs^® at Walt Disney World Resort, the epicenter of smiles and family fun. Construction is expected to begin immediately with an anticipated 2020 grand opening date.
• Following the revitalization in Orlando, M&M'S will open a new retail space in Minneapolis at the iconic Mall of America^® with a more than 24,000 sq. ft. store footprint. Located centrally for residents and tourists alike, the heart of the American Midwest will be home to a new store with region-specific decor and interactive elements.
• In early 2021, the brand's international presence will grow in Berlin, Germany, and be the first M&M'S experiential store in continental Europe. Located on one of the most famous avenues in Berlin on Kurfürstendamm in City West, the city's premiere shopping avenue, the decor will be inspired by the local art and beauty of Berlin.

"The future stores, strategically placed in culturally-vibrant areas where our shoppers would expect us to be, reaffirm our goal to connect with fun-seekers and chocolate enthusiasts," continued McIntyre. "We're bringing more than 20 years of innovation in experiential retail to these new stores and cannot wait to open our doors to a global audience who will engage with our brand like never before."

Mars Retail Group worked closely with CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBRE), the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, to identify the new retail locations around the world. "Mars Retail Group is forward thinking and very intentional in creating physical M&M'S Brand experiences to the surprise and delight their customers in ways most brands are just starting to think about," said David Close, Retail Executive Director at CBRE. "It continues to be a dream partnership as we collaborate to bring this vision to life in the most distinct and desired destinations across the globe." New stores will join the existing locations across North America, Europe, and Asia, including: New York, Las Vegas, London and Shanghai.

For more information about the M&M'S experiential stores, visit www.MMS.com or find the brand on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

About Mars Retail Group

Headquartered in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey, U.S., the Mars Retail Group (MRG) creates and builds retail businesses that build the brands of Mars, Incorporated. The iconic M&M'S stores, located in New York City, Las Vegas, Orlando, London and Shanghai, currently represent Mars' largest retail business. MRG also operates the company's Licensing and My M&M'S businesses. Mars Retail Group is a division of Mars, Incorporated. 

About CBRE Group, Inc.

CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2018 revenue). The company has more than 90,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 480 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

About Disney Springs

Disney Springs is a one-of-a-kind retail, dining and entertainment district located in the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. With its namesake springs, beautiful open-air promenades and lakefront setting, Disney Springs evokes the charm of Florida waterfront towns at the turn of the 20th century. It's also home to a collection of more than 150 shops and restaurants, including top-name retail brands, specialty boutiques and dining experiences created by celebrity and award-winning chefs. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Disney Springs is open daily.

About Mall of America

At 5.6 million square feet, Mall of America is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America with more than 520 world-class retail stores and restaurants; Nickelodeon Universe, the nation's largest indoor theme park; SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium; FlyOver America; Crayola Experience; Hard Rock Café; The Escape Game; CMX Cinemas; and more. The Mall opened in 1992 and is located in Bloomington, Minn., minutes from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul and adjacent to the MSP International Airport. Follow Mall of America on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Download the Mall of America app from the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android.

About Kurfürstendamm

At the heart of City West, Kurfürstendamm is Berlin's most renowned and popular shopping mile. The boulevard is known worldwide for its luxury shops with flagship stores of high-end fashion labels, shops of international brands as well as excellent restaurants, cafes and bars. Because of Kurfürstendamm's long tradition as a shopping and strolling mile, old and new architecture merge almost seamlessly. The 3.5-kilometer-long boulevard extends from Breitscheidplatz with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church to Rathenauplatz, where the villas and mansions of Grunewald can be found.

About CENTRUM Group

CENTRUM Group is an owner-managed entity and was founded in Düsseldorf by the managing partner Uwe Reppegather in 1998. CENTRUM is specialised in product development for modern retail spaces at 1A locations in large German cities like Düsseldorf, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main and Berlin. The working volume achieved is more than EUR 5 billion. Along with development of new commercial properties, CENTRUM Group has been increased its acquisition and project development for office buildings and leasing, available to national and international top tenants. www.centrum-group.de

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated