The melts in your mouths They melt in your mouth, not in your hands
M&M’s are among the most beloved candies around the globe. The fun and colorful chocolates are able to be found in every place from malls to the White House and space. Here are some delicious facts that you might not be aware of regarding the two Ms which includes where the concept originated from, how the characters were redesigned and how two employees fell into a bowl of chocolate.
A chocolate-related accident occurred in the M&M’s manufacturing facility.
In a sequence of events that could have been directly from Seventies iconic movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Two workers discovered themselves stuck in the middle after falling into a chocolate vat in the Mars M&M factory in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. It was waist high (Augustus) chocolate had a thickness so high that getting them out of the same way they entered was not possible. A firefighter needed to make an opening through the tank’s side to free the two men, who were then taken to the hospital for a check-up.
M&M’s stand in for Mars and Murrie
Have you ever wondered what M&M’s stand for? That’s the answer. Mars and Murrie which refers to Forrest Mars (the son of the creator of Mars, Frank Mars) and Bruce Murrie (the son of long-time Hershey Chairman William Murrie). The unlikely duo entered business together in the early days of Second World War in 1939. Today, the two brands are rivals.
M&M’s were used to make Hershey chocolate
At first, the small candy were created using Hershey chocolate. Murrie was able to assure Mars the supply of cocoa in spite of wartime rationing. So they agreed to work together. After the war, Mars purchased back Murrie’s share of 20% and then ended its use of Hershey chocolate.
The M&Ms idea came from Spain
To know where the idea originated, we need go back a few years. In frustration with his father’s death, Forrest Mars moved to Europe to establish his own company. During the course of this during a trip across Southern Spain (possibly accompanied by Rowntree who was the one to launch Smarties) the soldier he met was eating chocolate. The warm temperatures could be a challenge for the chocolate industry however these sweets came with sugar shells that stopped the chocolate from melting. This is how Mars came up with the brilliant concept and advertising slogan “melts into your mouth but not your hands”.
They first came in cardboard tubes
Although you’re used to seeing M&M’s in plastic packaging but they were packaged in a cardboard box at the time they were launched. The lid was opened and they easily poured onto your fingers. Additionally, the lid could be put back on when you want to use just only a handful. The brown bags first came into use in 1948.
At first, only the military could be the only ones to
Another interesting fact about this candy is that in the beginning, it was available only to military personnel. The chocolate tubes were included in the soldiers diets and were extremely useful since they didn’t melt and could be sealed. It wasn’t until the latter part of the decade that the public were able to get hold of these chocolates.
The colour of choice was originally violet
The first M&M’s were available in six shades including yellow, brown, orange red, green, and violet. In 1949, the color violet was changed to the color tan. In the following year, the company requested customers to choose which color they preferred to be included in the package and the winning colour was blue. Today, you can see brown, yellow red, orange green and blue. But, as lovers of the candy will realize that they all taste identically and the shells don’t indicate the flavor.
M&M’s are branded with the “m” so you can be sure they’re authentic
In the beginning M&M’s shells were empty and undistinguishable from similar candy. In 1950, it was only when they were given their trademark “m” mark and motto “Look at the M on each piece” was created. In reality, every one of Mars chocolates have the ability to identify them without wrapping. Have you seen the ripple that appears on the top of the top of a Mars bar?
