After returning to the United States in 1940, Forrest Mars used this idea and founded M&M Limited in Newark, New Jersey, to create candies in a sugar shell.
M&M® was named for the last names of Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie. Bruce, the son of Hershey executive William Murray, agreed to provide chocolate, sugar, technology and some capital. Even the first machines used to manufacture M&M came from modifying the equipment used to manufacture the Hershey’s Kiss.
The first M&M® were produced in 1914, packaged in a paper tube to prevent melting in warm weather.
In 1932, after a falling out with his father and business partner, Forrest Mars Sr. of the Mars candy company moved to England, where he began manufacturing Mars bars for troops.
In March of 1941, Mars was granted a patent for his manufacturing process and production began in Newark, New Jersey. The chocolates were initially designed to allow easy transport and consumption for the soldiers in the war. Originally sold in cardboard tubes, M&Ms were covered with a brown, red, orange, yellow, green or violet coating.
Forrest Mars, Sr. wanted to sell chocolates that could be sold year-round, especially during the summer months when sales traditionally decreased. By putting his chocolate inside the candy shell, the chocolate did not melt and M&Ms3 could be sold any time.
After the U.S. entered the war, the candies were exclusively sold to the military, enabling the heat-resistant and easy-to-transport chocolate to be included in American soldiers’ rations.
Peanut-centered M&Ms' were first introduced in 1954; almond-centered M&Ms'1988; mint chocolate M&Ms'1989; peanut butter chocolate (peanut butter creme center surrounded by chocolate surrounded by a candy shell)
History of M&M®
