Deals

Mars Wins Unconditional EU Nod for $36 Billion Kellanova Deal

Kellanova’s snacks and cereal portfolio features popular names such as Pringles, Pop-Tarts, and Kellogg’s cereals. 

Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg

Mars Inc.’s $36 billion bid for cereals and Pringles chips maker Kellanova won European Union approval after regulators backtracked on earlier concerns over the largest packaged-food deal in almost a decade.

The European Commission, the bloc’s merger watchdog, confirmed Monday that regulators ditched earlier concerns about how Mars could leverage its increasing portfolio power in discussions with retailers after the purchase.