What The M&M Initials Actually Stand For

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The initials M&M stand for Mars and Murrie.

The iconic candy was created in 1941 by Forrest Mars Sr. (son of Frank C. Mars, founder of Mars, Inc.) and Bruce Murrie (son of William Murrie, long-time president of Hershey’s Chocolate).

The Story Behind the Names

  • Mars (Forrest Mars Sr.): During the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, Forrest Mars Sr. noticed soldiers eating small chocolate pellets encased in a hard sugar shell to prevent the chocolate from melting in the heat. He secured a patent for the process to manufacture them in the United States.
  • Murrie (Bruce Murrie): Because chocolate was strictly rationed during World War II, Mars needed a reliable source of high-quality chocolate and manufacturing infrastructure. He brought Bruce Murrie into the venture as a 20% partner. This deal guaranteed that Hershey would supply the chocolate and sugar required to produce the candy.

Core Brand Milestones

Year Milestone Historical Impact
1941 M&M’s Introduced Sold exclusively to the U.S. Military as part of WWII soldier rations.
1949 Murrie Buyout Forrest Mars bought out Bruce Murrie’s 20% stake, taking full control of the brand.
1950 The “M” Imprint A black “M” was printed on the candies to ensure authenticity (changed to white in 1954).
1954 Peanut M&M’s Introduced Launched alongside the famous catchphrase, “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”

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