M&Ms stand as a quintessential symbol of American confectionery, yet few are aware of the significance behind the dual letters in their name.
These vibrant chocolates were not only the first candy to reach the lunar surface but also served as a sweet morale booster for American troops in World War II and played a central role in a poignant family saga.
The inspiration for these sugar-coated delights came from Forrest Mars, whose father, Frank Mars, founded Mars, Inc.
According to lore, Forrest observed a small, round candy during his European travels and decided to craft a similar treat upon returning to the United States. At that point, he was estranged from his father, who was at the helm of a flourishing chocolate company.
Choosing to pursue his confectionary vision independently, Forrest teamed up with Bruce Murrie, whose father was a Hershey executive. This collaboration birthed M&Ms, with the ‘M’s representing the initials of the two creators.
During the Second World War, M&Ms became an essential part of soldiers’ rations, appreciated for their ability to ‘melt in your mouth, not in your hand,’ an attribute that was particularly beneficial for troops on the front lines.
The younger Mars eventually bought Murrie out of his 20 percent stake, making him the sole owner of M&Ms.
After the war, the chocolates became wildly popular, and the rest is history. Today, the brand is owned by Mars Inc, alongside well-known candy brands like Snickers, Dove, Twix, Milky Way, Three Musketeers and Skittles.
Today M&Ms come in flavors like peanut butter, pretzel, caramel and peanut
Forrest Mars was the driving force of candy company Mars and its brand M&Ms
A post on Reddit explaining the company’s history went viral recently as it was centered on the family drama.
‘Ditzy explanation. But I learned something,’ one Reddit user commented.
‘Forrest Mars is an interesting character,’ another said. ‘He went got into his dad’s candy business, they couldn’t get along, so he left the company to start off on his own.’
The iconic candy’s colors have varied over its history. In 1976, out of fear that red dye was a suspected carcinogen, the red M&M was replaced with orange.
After studies found no health concerns with the dye, red M&Ms returned to candy packages.
Since 1995, the standard M&M colors are red, yellow, orange, green, blue and brown. A vast array of different colors are available at the brand’s storefront locations.
M&Ms has dabbled with innovations and variations over the decades. In the 1960s, they developed a ‘fruit chew’ version of the candy that eventually became Starbursts.
The brand’s current flavor lineup includes peanut butter, caramel, almond, cookie crunch and even pretzel. Last year, the brand debuted its freeze-dried POP’d Caramel, which had a light, airy texture in lieu of the candy’s rich creamy chocolate.
M&Ms added several unique flavors to their chocolate-loving customers, including Thai Chocolate Peanut and English Toffee Peanut
There are also recurring seasonal treats like Strawberries & Creme and Pumpkin Pie M&Ms.
This year, M&Ms introduced three limited-edition, bakery-inspired flavors – Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll, Cherry Chocolate Cupcake and Lemon Meringue Pie.
In a limited time promotion the company asked fans to vote for their favorite flavor that would become a permanent addition to their offerings.
‘At Mars, we are consumer obsessed, so bringing back Flavor Vote felt like a fun way to connect with M&Ms fans and give them a chance to weigh in on which flavor they enjoyed the most,’ the company said.
The flavor contest follows the successful relaunch of Peanut Butter & Jelly M&Ms, which became the brand’s first new permanent flavor since 2022.
