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Confectionery major Mars, Incorporated has commenced the integration of natural menthol sourced through its Shubh Mint initiative into its European chewing gum manufacturing operations.

The operational integration embeds sustainably harvested mint into production facilities across the United Kingdom and Poland, strengthening supply chain traceability and raw material resilience for its brand portfolio.

The transition reflects a long-term strategy to secure natural mint supply lines from primary agricultural regions while addressing environmental and economic pressures in raw ingredient production.

Natural Mint Supply Chain Risks

Mint and derived menthol serve as primary flavouring components across global confectionery and oral care sectors. However, global supply remains highly concentrated, with approximately 80 per cent of natural menthol produced in Uttar Pradesh, India.

This regional concentration exposes the supply chain to significant agricultural and economic vulnerabilities:

🌱 Climate Vulnerability: Shifting weather patterns and unseasonal rainfall directly affect crop yield stability and oil quality.

📉 Yield Decline: Traditional agricultural practices and soil degradation have historically reduced hectare output for farming households.

💰 Production Cost Inflation: Rising input costs for energy, fertilisers, and water management have squeezed farm-level profitability, creating supply risks for downstream CPG buyers.

While synthetic menthol alternatives are widely deployed across the food and beverage industry, Mars opted to invest directly in natural mint systems to preserve ingredient integrity and secure long-term agricultural availability.

Programmatic Scaling and Community Impact

Launched in 2017 in partnership with non-profit implementation organisation Tanager, the Shubh Mint programme was designed to improve mint yield efficiency, soil health, and farmer livelihoods across Uttar Pradesh.

Beginning with a two-year research and pilot phase on quarter-acre demonstration plots, the initiative tested climate-smart agricultural techniques, optimised plant spacing, and improved planting materials before expanding community-wide.

Key operational metrics and outcomes of the programme include:

🌾 Agricultural Yield and Cost Efficiency: Climate-smart practices, improved irrigation systems, and fertiliser management reduced mint production costs by 20 per cent while increasing overall crop yield.

👨‍🌾 Farmer Engagement and Income Growth: Over 24,000 farmers have participated in the programme, with participating households doubling their net income from mint cultivation.

👩‍🌾 Inclusion and Diversification: Trained more than 8,500 women in climate-smart agronomy and supported over 1,000 women in establishing independent income-generating enterprises, supported by 4,500 members across community Self-Help Groups.

European Manufacturing

Following the establishment of a verified and traceable supply chain network through local Farmer Producer Companies, Mars has formally transitioned the Shubh Mint output into commercial manufacturing.

The natural menthol is now being processed and embedded into raw material lines supplying Mars Snacking's chewing gum production sites in the UK and Poland. The move establishes a closed-loop sourcing framework that connects farm-level interventions in India directly with high-volume European manufacturing hubs.

Future Ambitions and Living Income Standards

Building on the commercial deployment of Shubh Mint, Mars is expanding the program toward a "full farm" approach across northern India.

Rather than limiting agronomic support strictly to mint crops, the expanded model applies climate-smart practices across a farmer's entire rotational crop cycle. The objective is to diversify household income, hedge against single-crop risks, and assist farming families in achieving a verified living income.