Prashant Peres has assumed charge as General Manager, India for Mars Snacking, stepping into the role at a pivotal moment for the global food major following the integration of Kellanova into Mars’ snacking business.
The leadership transition comes weeks after Mars, Incorporated formally completed its acquisition of Kellanova on December 11, 2025, bringing together two of the world’s most recognisable snacking portfolios. For India, one of the fastest growing packaged food markets globally, the consolidation significantly expands Mars’ presence across confectionery, salty snacks, cereals and nutrition-led categories.
Peres takes responsibility for the combined India operations, overseeing brands such as Snickers, M&M’s, Twix, Dove and Skittles from Mars, alongside Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts and Kellogg’s cereal and snacking brands from Kellanova. The integrated portfolio positions Mars Snacking as a multi-category player spanning indulgence, breakfast and on-the-go consumption.
A seasoned FMCG leader with more than two decades of experience, Peres most recently served as Managing Director for South Asia at Kellanova. Earlier, he held senior roles at Kellogg Company, where he led the cereals and snacks business through a phase of restructuring and market repositioning. Prior to that, he spent over eight years at Mondelēz International, including leading the Cadbury chocolates business in India during a period of record growth, and later heading operations in Indonesia.
Peres began his career at Unilever, where he held leadership positions across foods, soaps and personal care portfolios in South Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Mars has said the Kellanova acquisition strengthens its ambition to shape the future of snacking by combining scale, innovation and category depth. Globally, Mars Snacking now employs more than 50,000 people and manages several billion-dollar brands.
In India, the combined business is expected to sharpen its focus on urban consumption, premiumisation and expanding modern trade and digital channels, while navigating price sensitivity and evolving consumer preferences. The coming phase will test how effectively the global integration translates into local growth execution in a highly competitive market.
