Credit: @mmschocolate/X
People Are Only Just Realizing What The M&M Initials Actually Stand For
Fans of M&Ms are only just learning what the initials actually stand for.
The iconic American brand has been around for over 80 years and is recognized for its small, multicolored button-shaped chocolates.
It was founded by Forrest Edward Mars Snr. and Bruce Murrie in 1941.
Mars was helping manufacture sweets for soldiers during the Spanish Civil War when he discovered the British chocolate, Smarties.
In an article published by History, it’s explained: “Mars purportedly encountered British volunteers eating small chocolate beads encased in a hard sugar shell, which prevented melting.
“In an age when sales of chocolate typically dropped off during summer months due to the lack of air conditioning, Mars was thrilled by the prospect of developing a product that would be able to resist melting in high temperatures.“
Mars traveled back to America and began working on M&Ms with Murrie, who was the son of the founder of Hershey Chocolate.
History’s article goes on to say: “Originally sold in cardboard tubes, M&Ms were covered with a brown, red, orange, yellow, green, or violet coating.
“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.”
The same reasoning that the chocolates were suitable for soldiers during the war made them great for space travel too.
On the NASA ship Columbia, which launched into space in 1981, M&Ms became the first sweet/chocolate to be launched into space.
The partnership between Mars and Murrie ended in 1945 after World War II, when Mars bought out Murrie and became the sole owner of the company.
M&M isn’t the only famous chocolate to come from the Mars family, as his dad, Frank Mars, came up with the Mars bar.
Now, fans are just realizing that M&Ms stands for Mars and Murrie, the surnames of the brand’s two founders.
After learning this interesting fact, one person said: “I always thought it just stood for ‘MMMMMM!'”
Another person posted: “Knowing that M&M’s were created for soldiers in WW2, I assumed M&M stood for Military Munchies. When you assume…”
“Hahaha, I thought they meant to melt in the mouth! They coincidentally don’t melt in hand,” a third wrote.
Somebody else commented: “Mmmm. So I’ve been eating Mars and Murrie?”
Did you know the origins of the M&M name?
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