(Reuters) -Mars, the maker of M&M's and Skittles, said on Thursday it will invest 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion) in its European Union operations by the end of 2026 to boost manufacturing, sustainability and innovation pipeline in the region.

The new investment builds on more than 1.5 billion euros that the candy maker has already poured into EU manufacturing over the past five years. Mars operates 24 factories across 10 EU countries, employing 25,000 people.

Last year, Mars announced a $36 billion deal to acquire Pringles maker Kellanova. The deal has cleared U.S. antitrust review but remains under scrutiny in the European Union.

($1 = 0.8482 euros)