Mars £80 Factory Investment

 

Mars is investing £80m into its factory in the home of its confectionery business in the UK. Up to five million chocolate bars a day can now be made in Slough, Berkshire, after a major upgrade in production lines and facilities – double what the business did in 2025. Mars Wrigley UK & Ireland General Manager, Adam Grant, said: "That's enough to stretch all the way from Slough to Edinburgh." The firm said it is the single biggest investment ever made at its site and is paying for new technology - including robots - to move large boxes of chocolate around the factory floor. It is the second largest Mars factory in Europe, behind Belgium. The first ever Mars bar was created in Slough in 1932 when Forrest Mars Sr set up a small kitchen on the Slough Trading Estate. Before entering the production area, there are reminders of the history of the past 94 years with photos of memorable moments on the walls. The multi-million pound investment at the factory will pay for advanced manufacturing processes, digital innovation and workforce development. It includes major upgrades to production lines, infrastructure improvements and the introduction of new digital systems designed to improve efficiency, quality and sustainability. The firm says it will help it to deliver the "perfect" Mars bar every time. Alongside factory renovation, new training and development programmes are being introduced to upskill the workforce in automation, digital and AI-enabled roles.

BBQ - How important is investment to improve quality?

Mars Factory

Minecraft World

 
A Minecraft world is set to open at Chessington World of Adventures in 2027. The attraction, which is officially called "Minecraft World", will be the first of its kind in the world, based entirely on the game. For anyone who hasn't played, Minecraft is a video game where players explore block-shaped worlds, build structures and go on adventures. As of last year it has sold more than 350 million copies and is the best‑selling video game of all time.The new Minecraft World will aim to bring parts of the game into real life, including its environments, known as "biomes", and its creatures, called "mobs". Visitors to the theme park, based in south-west London, will be able to try several new attractions. These include a rollercoaster described as a "world-first Minecraft coaster", as well as interactive activities and play areas built to look like the game. There will also be themed shops and places to eat. But all of that isn't cheap, the project is expected to cost £50 million to create. Theme park operator, Merlin entertainments described it as one of their "most ambitious theme park developments in recent years".

BBQ - How do you think they made this decision to go for Minecraft?

Minecraft World