Lisa Vannerson, Creative & PR Director at Ethel M Chocolates, and Mark Mackey, Chief Chocolatier, sit down with BigHead to talk through how a Mars family legacy helped shape some of the most recognizable chocolate brands in the world and how that history eventually led to Ethel M becoming a staple in Las Vegas.
We also get into what it actually takes to create premium chocolate at scale, how the cactus garden experience became part of the brand identity, and how tradition and innovation continue to shape everything coming out of the Mars chocolate world.
We get into:
- The Mars family history and how M&M’s and Milky Way were created
- How Ethel M Chocolates was founded
- Why Ethel M is a unique chocolate experience in Vegas
- The cactus garden and holiday lights
- How new chocolate flavors are developed and tested
- How Ethel M balances heritage with modern innovation
- The role Las Vegas plays in the brand’s identity today
- What goes into running a working chocolate factory open to the public
- The evolution of one of the most recognizable candy empires in the world
- Some upcoming Ethel M events and new chocolates
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