The implementation has been overseen by Torsten Ilse, global graphics director at Mars.

He said that the business had previously adopted good processes across its business units and global locations, but these were differing solutions that depended on the geography and the category.

“While we had individually reasonably efficient processes in pet nutrition, in confectionery and in our food categories, these represented different ways of doing the same thing, creating unnecessary fragmentation and redundancy and hence preventing meaningful process harmonisation,” he explained.

Esko WebCenter is cloud-based. Features include advanced project management, annotation and approval tools, and comprehensive tracking and analytics for KPIs.

Mars undertook a detailed selection process before deciding to adopt the platform.

“We needed a partner who understood both the consumer packaged goods sector and the specific requirements of packaging design and artwork management workflows which include both graphics and structural design,” Ilse added.

“Esko WebCenter stood out for its intuitive interface, robust annotation capabilities, and flexibility in handling a multitude of graphical file formats.”

He said one of the most significant advantages had been the ability to harmonise processes across different product categories and geographies.

“This level of alignment was previously unattainable, and we're now seeing valuable synergies and benchmarking opportunities across business segments.”

Esko CMO Jan De Roeck said the firm was delighted to have worked with Mars on the project.

“The cloud-based WebCenter platform provides a centralised solution that connects all stakeholders in the packaging process, from brand owners and designers to premedia and print suppliers, enabling real-time collaboration and significantly reducing time-to-market.”

Mars Inc is family-owned and has annual sales of more than $50bn (£41bn). It agreed to acquire Kellanova (formerly the Kellogg Company) last year in a $35.9bn deal.