(Reuters) - Family-owned packaged food giant Mars, whose candy brands include M&M's and Snickers, said on Wednesday it would buy Pringles maker Kellanova for nearly $36 billion in the biggest deal in the packaged food sector.

The deal comes days after Reuters reported that Mars was exploring a potential acquisition of Kellanova.

(Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)