Mars, one of the world’s top five peanut buyers, has announced a USD 5 million investment in a five-year agricultural research program. The initiative, titled “Protect the Peanut,” aims to protect peanut crops from pests, diseases, and climate variability, in an effort to reduce supply chain disruptions and harvest losses.

According to the company, up to 30% of peanut crops never reach consumers due to environmental threats, and only 1% meet the quality standards for use in Mars products like M&M’S. The program seeks to minimize these losses, which result in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages for farmers and endanger a critical protein source for millions globally.

This new funding builds on over USD 10 million Mars has already invested in crop improvement research. One key milestone was the mapping of the peanut genome through the International Peanut Genome Initiative, which Mars co-founded. The company made the data publicly available as open-source scientific information, turning peanut research into a precision science.

Mars is working with several academic and scientific partners, including the University of Georgia, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and Brazilian institutions such as EMBRAPA and Instituto Agronômico de Campinas. New peanut varieties have already been developed, such as “Sempre Verde,” currently grown in Brazil without fungicides and offering up to 30% higher yields.

“We’ve always believed Mars has a unique role to play as a driver of innovation. We know the perfect peanut won’t appear by chance—it will require investment, science, and deep partnerships,” said Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars Snacking.

The “Protect the Peanut” program is part of Mars’ long-term strategy “Sustainable in a Generation,” reaffirming the company’s commitment to safeguarding vital food resources in the face of increasing global agricultural challenges.