Aimee Walker
Chocolate lovers are only just finding out the backstory behind Snickers’ unusual name.
Snickers bars, which are made by Mars, Inc., consist of nougat topped with caramel and peanuts, encased in milk chocolate.
Arguably, it’s one of the most popular sweet treats in the world – yet many people don’t know the odd origin behind its moniker.
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It all started back in 1911 when Frank and Ethel Mars decided to open up a sweet factory which didn’t end up working.
The pair refused to give up and eventually, they founded the ‘Mar-o-Bar’ company, which would later turn into Mars Company.
It had amazing success with its first launch – the Milky Way bar – and it meant the entrepreneurs had money to invest.
According to Mashed, Frank and Ethel purchased a 3,000-acre horse breeding farm in Tennessee, which they are believed to have named ‘The Milky Way Farm’.
Sadly, Ethel’s favourite horse, Snickers, died around the time the pair were launching a new chocolate bar. So they decided to name it after the horse in his honour.
The sweet treat would go on to be manufactured in Chicago and it reportedly sold for five cents.
When Snickers was brought over to the UK, executives decided that the name sounded far too much like ‘knickers’ – so they renamed it Marathon.
The name stuck until 1990 and then Mars decided it wanted universal names for its products.
Ever since it’s been known as Snickers worldwide.
Despite the name change, Snickers’ recipe remained the same but maddeningly, some UK fans have refused to continue buying it.
Many people have taken to social media and reacted to the origin of Snickers’ name – with it leaving many mindblown.
One person insisted: “I shall still never eat one again until they are called Marathon again.”
Another added: “Now this, is the kind of trivia we all need. I did not know that!”
Somebody else commented: “I was today years old when I found out the meaning behind the Snickers candy bar name.”
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Despite there being a ton of competition in the world of chocolate nowadays, Snickers continues to thrive and in 2010, its popularity hugely increased thanks to a now world-famous advertising campaign.
During the Super Bowl, an advert starring The Golden Girls actress Betty White aired with the slogan: “You’re not you when you’re hungry.”
Several celebrities have since gone on to star in Snickers ads, including Elton John, Joan Collins and even Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean.
Over the years, several Snickers products have been launched, including variant flavours such as peanut butter and white chocolate.
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