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Who owns Pop-Tarts?

Pop-Tarts is owned by Mars (the United States) through its subsidiary Kellanova.[1]

This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.

Key facts

Current owner
Mars, Incorporated via Kellanova reported
Owned since
Not recorded
Previous owner
None recorded
Owner HQ
🇺🇸 United States, McLean, Virginia
Origin
🇺🇸 United States
Founded
1964
Category
Food › Bakery › Cakes
Last verified
· 4 sources

About Pop-Tarts

Pop-Tarts are toaster pastries launched in 1964, developed after a rival announced a similar product before it was ready to sell, prompting Kellogg to rush its own to market. The frosted versions came two years later, and they remain among the most-sold items in the American breakfast aisle.

Ownership timeline of Pop-Tarts

Owners of Pop-Tarts over 1964 to 2026 Mars start not recorded–present Mars (start not recorded) 197019801990200020102020
  1. ? – present Mars via Kellanova [1] reported

Where Pop-Tarts sits in Mars

Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.

Where Pop-Tarts sits in Mars Tree of 42 brands under Mars. Mars Kellanova Pop-Tarts Cheez-It Crunchy Nut Eggo Extra Nutri-Grain and 4 more Altoids Banfield Pet Hospital Ben's Original Bounty Celebrations Cesar and 26 more

Open the full Mars ownership tree →

Other brands owned by Mars in food

See the full Mars brand portfolio (42) →

Deals involving Pop-Tarts

Acquisition closed

Mars acquires Kellanova, Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR, Nutri-Grain, Special K and Crunchy Nut

Mars agreed in August 2024 to buy Kellanova for $83.50 a share in cash, a total enterprise value of $35.9 billion including assumed net leverage, and completed the purchase on 11 December 2025 after the last regulatory approvals arrived three days earlier. Kellanova became a wholly owned subsidiary of Mars and its shares left the New York Stock Exchange. The brands did not change hands individually: Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR and the international Kellogg cereals stay with Kellanova, which is now a private family-owned company's snacking arm rather than a listed business.

Value
$35.9bn
Buyer
Mars
Seller
public shareholders
Regulatory
None recorded

Latest news about Pop-Tarts

No tagged news items yet. Deals, regulatory actions and recalls are added from SEC filings, regulators and trade press; only titles and links are stored.

Headlines link to the original publisher. Brandtree does not reproduce article text.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the parent company of Pop-Tarts?

The parent company of Pop-Tarts is Mars, a family-owned company headquartered in the United States. Pop-Tarts sits under Mars' subsidiary Kellanova.

Is Pop-Tarts American?

Yes. Pop-Tarts originated in the United States in 1964 and its owner, Mars, is also headquartered in the United States.

Is Pop-Tarts still owned by Mars?

Yes. As of 16 September 2026, Pop-Tarts is still owned by Mars. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.

Sources (4) & corrections

Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.

  1. [1] Kellanova Annual Report 2025 — Kellanova, Annual report, published 1 February 2026; retrieved 18 September 2026.
  2. [2] Mars Completes Acquisition of Kellanova — Mars, Incorporated, Official press release, published 11 December 2025; retrieved 16 September 2026.
  3. [3] Kellanova Form 8-K - completion of the merger with Mars, Incorporated — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 8-K, published 11 December 2025; retrieved 16 September 2026.
  4. [4] Kellanova Form 8-K Exhibit 99.4 - Mars to acquire Kellanova — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 8-K, published 14 August 2024; retrieved 16 September 2026.

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