Aventura, Florida – The National Confectioners Association (NCA) announced today that Anton Vincent, president of Mars Wrigley North America, was recognized with NCA’s Distinguished Service Award at the 2023 State of the Industry Conference. This award honors individuals who have worked to make a positive and lasting impact on the confectionery industry, often in cooperation with NCA.
“Anton is shaping the future of chocolate and candy with his pioneering spirit, demonstrating that progress in confectionery comes from bravely challenging existing norms,” John Downs, NCA president and CEO, said. “With leaders like him at the helm of this sector, we can look forward to continued innovation for years to come.”
Under Vincent’s leadership, Mars Wrigley played a pivotal role in the success of the Always A Treat Initiative – a voluntary, five-year commitment to Partnership for a Healthier America for chocolate and candy companies to offer more transparency, choice and portion guidance options to consumers seeking to manage their sugar intake. Mars Wrigley’s investment in R&D, product and packaging innovation and redesigning existing products helped the Initiative exceed set benchmarks for success while establishing the industry as a thought leader in the food policy space.
In September 2022, Vincent also served as the confectionery industry representative on a panel discussion at Georgetown University focused on a new report, All Indulgent Products are Not Created Equal. The report finds that chocolate and candy should not be grouped with other indulgent foods and beverages for the purposes of policymaking because they are not purchased or consumed the same way as other foods. The Always A Treat Initiative is highlighted in the report as an example of a significant industry effort to help consumers make more informed choices.
Since joining Mars, Vincent has led one of the world’s largest and most loved consumer brand portfolios that includes iconic brands like M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, ORBIT®, EXTRA® and Skittles®. Anton also leads the cross-segment Regional Presidents Council (RPC) and is the principal Mars leadership voice for industry and regulatory matters in the US.
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About the National Confectioners Association (NCA):
The National Confectioners Association is the leading trade organization for the U.S. confectionery industry, which generates $42 billion in retail sales each year. NCA advocates for an environment that enables candy makers to thrive and works to ensure that chocolate, candy, gum and mints are celebrated for their contributions to culture, society, the economy and everyday moments of joy. The industry employs nearly 58,000 workers in more than 1,600 manufacturing facilities across all 50 states and supports an additional 635,000 jobs in related fields. The U.S. confectionery industry has made a commitment to increasing transparency, providing more portion guidance options and educating consumers about the role of confectionery in a happy, balanced lifestyle. Learn more at CandyUSA.com or follow NCA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
