Three years after buying a minority stake in Kind North America – and apparently launching Kind International – Mars Inc. announced, today, it had acquired the privately held bar and snacks company. Price was not disclosed, but the New York Times reported the acquisition values Kind at about $5 billion.

Kind North America will join Kind International to create one organization operating across 35 countries, functioning as a distinct and separate business within the Mars family of companies.

Kind Founder and Executive Chairman Daniel Lubetzky will play a key role in the future development and expansion of Kind, the companies said. He will retain an ongoing financial stake in Kind, a majority of which was previously donated to charity to further his philanthropic efforts.

Kind was created by Lubetzky in 2004, starting with bars made with simple and healthful ingredients, especially a nutrient-dense first ingredient – whole nuts, whole grains or whole fruit. Kind now has a family of more than 100 snacks. To our knowledge, the company has no manufacturing facilities, using copackers extensively.

Since Mars initial buy-in, Kind products have proliferated. Mars helped Kind expand into more than 35 countries (including China, Germany and France) and into eight categories (most recently frozen and refrigerated), and has launched new products such as Kind Bark, Kind Frozen Bars and Kind Smoothie Bowls.